Astronauts Barry Wilmore (62) and Suni Williams (59) are finally heading home after spending nine unexpected months aboard the ISS.
Initially part of NASA-SpaceX Crew-9, they launched in September with only two astronauts instead of four. Wilmore and Williams arrived at the ISS in June last year on Boeing’s Starliner for what should have been a brief roundtrip to test the spacecraft’s first crewed flight.
However, the spaceship developed propulsion issues and could not safely return them. NASA deemed it unfit for the journey, so it flew back empty while the astronauts remained on the station.
New crew’s arrival brings relief
Early Sunday, Crew-10 reached the ISS, finally making it possible for Wilmore and Williams to leave. The new team’s arrival brought smiles and hugs, marking the end of the astronauts’ extended stay.
Preparing for departure
Wilmore and Williams will return alongside American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The crew shared emotional goodbyes before entering the Dragon capsule. At 11:05 PM (0305 GMT Tuesday), they closed the hatch, signaling the start of their journey home.
After final safety checks, the spacecraft will undock at 1:05 AM (0505 GMT). If everything proceeds as planned, the capsule will land off Florida’s coast, where a recovery team will retrieve the crew from the ocean.
A test of endurance in space
Their extended stay surpassed the standard six-month ISS rotation but ranked only as the sixth-longest for U.S. astronauts.
Frank Rubio holds the American record with 371 days in space, achieved in 2023. Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov still holds the world record with 437 days on the Mir space station.
Despite the delay, space experts say the astronauts faced minimal health risks. Rihana Bokhari from Baylor College explained that space medicine helps manage issues like muscle loss and fluid shifts.
Williams, known for her dedication to fitness, reportedly exercised beyond her usual routine to counteract these effects.
Joseph Keebler, a psychologist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, praised their resilience. “These individuals have shown unbelievable resilience,” he said, comparing their situation to being unexpectedly stuck at work for nine months.
