Sunita Williams Returns Home Aboard SpaceX Dragon
The successful return of Wilmore and Williams will mark a significant achievement for NASA and SpaceX, and will pave the way for future missions to the ISS. The use of SpaceX's Dragon capsule has demonstrated the importance of having multiple options for space travel, and has highlighted the need for continued investment in space technology.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station for over nine months, are finally set to return home aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule, marking a significant milestone in their prolonged space mission.
The duo was originally scheduled to stay on the ISS for eight days but has been there for over nine months due to technical issues with the experimental spacecraft, Starliner, built by Boeing. NASA has decided to use SpaceX's Dragon capsule to return the astronauts, citing safety concerns. The new crew, consisting of four astronauts from Russia, Japan, and the US, will relieve the current crew, including Wilmore and Williams, who will begin their journey back to Earth two days after the handover.
The extended stay in space has taken a personal toll on the astronauts, with Dr. Simeon Barber suggesting that it will have disrupted their family lives and caused a period of upheaval. The decision to use SpaceX's capsule has been seen as a setback for Boeing, which had argued that it would have been safe to bring the astronauts back on Starliner. President Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have also weighed in, suggesting that the decision was made for political reasons.
NASA officials, however, have denied these claims, stating that the decision was made based on good technical reasons and the need to prioritize the astronauts' safety. The Crew-10 mission, which will carry four crew members to the ISS, is set to launch on Friday, March 14, 2025, and will dock at the ISS on Saturday, March 15. The Crew-9 mission, which is currently on the ISS, is expected to depart no earlier than Wednesday, March 19, pending weather conditions.
As Wilmore and Williams prepare to return home, they are looking forward to reuniting with their families after a prolonged period in space. Their mission has been extended multiple times, and they have been conducting experiments, fixing a broken toilet, and going on spacewalks, with Williams setting a new record for women with nine spacewalks.