Two Nasa astronauts who have been “stranded” aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for more than nine months are finally on their way back to Earth, marking the end of an unexpected and prolonged mission caused by the failure of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, originally scheduled for a brief week-long stay, found themselves effectively marooned on the ISS after their pioneering Starliner capsule was deemed unsafe to return them to Earth. Instead, the duo has been integrated into the space station’s crew, filling in for other astronauts who were reassigned to later missions.
The long-awaited return began in the early hours of Tuesday when a SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying Williams, Wilmore, and two additional crew members undocked from the ISS at 1.05am ET (5.05am GMT). The spacecraft is now en route for a splashdown off the Florida coast at approximately 6pm ET, with mission controllers monitoring weather conditions to determine the precise landing site.
Williams and Wilmore’s journey to the ISS began on 6 June 2024, when they launched aboard Starliner, a spacecraft intended to establish Boeing as a key competitor to SpaceX in human spaceflight. The mission was designed as a crucial test of Starliner’s docking and operational capabilities, with the expectation that the astronauts would return to Earth within 10 days. However, those plans quickly unravelled.
A series of technical failures, including issues with Starliner’s propulsion system and concerns over its ability to safely re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, forced Nasa and Boeing to abandon the idea of bringing the astronauts home aboard the capsule. In September, Starliner was sent back to Earth empty, leaving Williams and Wilmore in orbit far longer than anticipated.
Their extended stay saw them take on active roles within the ISS, stepping in for two other astronauts who had been due to travel to the station but were instead reassigned to future flights. While unexpected, their presence contributed to ongoing scientific research and maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory.
As the Dragon capsule drifted away from the ISS, Anne McClain, a Nasa astronaut currently stationed aboard the station, bid the departing crew farewell. “We’ll miss you, but have a great journey home,” she said as the spacecraft moved 260 miles (418km) above the Pacific.
Joining Williams and Wilmore on the return voyage are American astronaut Nicholas Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Their descent to Earth will take around 17 hours, with mission managers monitoring conditions to ensure a safe landing.
The saga of Williams and Wilmore’s extended mission underscores the complexities and challenges of modern spaceflight, as well as the risks involved in pioneering new spacecraft technology. While Boeing’s Starliner programme has faced setbacks, the hope remains that its difficulties will be resolved, enabling the company to join SpaceX in providing reliable crew transportation for future missions.
For now, though, the two astronauts can look forward to stepping back onto solid ground—albeit nine months later than planned.
