Sunita Williams' homecoming: reasons behind NASA astronauts' delayed return

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have finally returned to Earth after spending over nine months at the International Space Station (ISS). Their mission, which was supposed to last only eight days, faced several technical problems that extended their stay by months.

Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, originally launched on Boeing's new Starliner crew capsule on June 5, 2024. However, the capsule had thruster malfunctions when it approached the ISS. After investigating the problem, NASA found that the Teflon seals in the thrusters were damaged, making the capsule unsafe for their return. As a result, NASA sent the Starliner back empty and transferred Williams and Wilmore to SpaceX for their return.

Their homecoming was initially scheduled for February 2025, but it was further delayed because SpaceX's replacement Crew-10 mission faced its own setbacks. The Crew-10 launch was postponed from March 12 to March 14, 2025. The delay in launching the replacement mission left Williams and Wilmore stuck at the ISS longer than expected.

To speed up their return, SpaceX used a previously flown capsule instead of waiting for a new one. This helped reduce the delay by a few weeks. Finally, when the relief crew arrived at the ISS on Sunday, NASA decided to allow Williams and Wilmore to leave earlier than planned due to uncertain weather conditions.

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Life on the ISS and return to earth

While at the ISS, Williams and Wilmore quickly adjusted to their extended stay. They conducted various scientific experiments, repaired equipment, and even completed spacewalks together. Williams set a new record for female astronauts by logging 62 hours over nine spacewalks during her career.

Williams became the station commander three months into her stay and held the position until earlier this month. Both astronauts were experienced with the ISS, having lived there before. They refreshed their training before launching and were well-prepared to handle the challenges they faced.

The political aspect of their delay became controversial when former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, accused former President Joe Biden of abandoning the astronauts for political reasons. However, Williams and Wilmore rejected these claims.

On Tuesday, their SpaceX capsule detached from the ISS before dawn, targeting a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, depending on weather conditions. After spending more time than expected in space, Williams and Wilmore’s return to Earth marks the successful completion of a mission that faced many unexpected challenges.