NASA Working to Expedite Safe Return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from ISS
NASA has assured that it is working "expeditiously" alongside SpaceX to safely bring back Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and astronaut Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for 238 days.
The statement comes after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed that US President Donald Trump had personally asked him to facilitate the astronauts' return as soon as possible.
Musk called it “terrible” that the two astronauts have been left “stranded” for so long, far beyond their planned mission duration.
NASA’s Official Statement
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), NASA confirmed:
"NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical."
The agency further stated that it is also preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to complete the handover between expeditions, but has yet to announce a confirmed return date for Crew-9.
Stranded Due to Boeing Starliner Issues
- Williams and Wilmore were the first astronauts to ride the Boeing Starliner, a spacecraft developed by Boeing, in June 2024.
- The mission was initially planned as an eight-day stay on the ISS, but technical issues with the Starliner extended their stay to 238 days.
- NASA had earlier planned their return in February, but it has now been delayed to March, with the astronauts set to return aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.
Williams’ Spacewalk Mission
Despite the extended mission, Sunita Williams continues to contribute actively. She is set to undertake her second spacewalk in 12 years today at 6:30 PM.
During this mission, Williams and Wilmore will:
- Remove a radio frequency antenna assembly from the ISS truss.
- Collect samples from the Destiny laboratory and Quest airlock to check for possible microorganisms on the station’s exterior.
- Prepare a spare elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm in case a replacement is needed in the future.
Sunita Williams' Record in Spacewalks
- Williams has spent 322 days in space across her two missions.
- With 50 hours and 40 minutes of total cumulative spacewalk time, she is second on the list of female astronauts with the longest spacewalk time.
Awaiting Safe Return
As NASA and SpaceX accelerate efforts to bring Williams and Wilmore back home, the space community continues to monitor their extended stay aboard the ISS and the impact of long-duration missions on astronauts.