Cape, Canaveral. Florida: SpaceX has launched Crew-10 to the International Space Station (ISS), setting the stage for the long-awaited return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have spent over nine months in orbit—far longer than their originally planned eight-day stay.
Technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft extended the mission, which was intended to bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. According to Dana Weigel, ISS program manager, their return is now scheduled for two days after the arrival of the new crew, though weather conditions may cause slight delays.
Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program said that, “Butch and Suni have done a great job, and we are excited to bring them back.”
The new crew consists of astronauts from the US, Russia, and Japan, who will replace Wilmore, Williams, NASA’s Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
A two-day handover will take place before the outgoing astronauts begin their journey home. As part of the transition, Wilmore rang a ceremonial bell last week as Williams officially handed over command to Cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin.
Despite the extended stay, Wilmore and Williams have maintained high spirits, with Williams calling the ISS her “happy place.”
However, Dr. Simeon Barber of the Open University noted that the unexpected delay likely had personal consequences. “When a work trip that is supposed to last a week turns into nearly a year, it inevitably disrupts family life. They will have missed out on many important moments back home,” he said.
Wilmore and Williams arrived at the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner, an experimental spacecraft intended to rival SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.
The mission had already faced years of delays due to Starliner’s development issues, and its trip to the ISS was plagued by further technical difficulties, including faulty thrusters and helium leaks in the propulsion system.
NASA ultimately decided against bringing the astronauts back on the troubled Starliner, opting instead to return them on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule during a scheduled crew rotation to ensure their safety. While this decision meant a prolonged stay on the ISS, NASA prioritized caution over risk.
With the new crew now en route, Wilmore and Williams’ return is finally within reach. NASA is taking every precaution to guarantee their safe and smooth homecoming.
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