NASA Adjusts Crew Return Date

NASA has once more adjusted the return date for the astronauts currently stranded on the International Space Station (ISS). Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will now be heading back to Earth on March 16, three days earlier than initially planned. Their extended stay in orbit has now reached over nine months due to a series of technical issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was designed for an eight-day mission.

Return via SpaceX

The pair is set to return via a SpaceX spacecraft already docked at the ISS. However, they will not be able to depart until a new crew, designated Crew-10, arrives to replace them. Crew-10, consisting of four astronauts, is scheduled for launch on March 12, and they are expected to dock with the ISS on March 13.

Shortened Handover Period

Interestingly, NASA has optimized the usual handover period between incoming and outgoing crews, shortening it from five days to just two. This decision is aimed at conserving resources aboard the station and allowing for additional safety margins should inclement weather threaten their planned return on March 16.

Relief for Astronauts' Families

The imminent return home is certainly a relief for the families of Williams and Wilmore, who have been apart from their loved ones for 278 long days. The astronauts initially launched on June 5, setting out for what was intended to be an eight-day mission, but the unexpected technical difficulties saw them remaining in orbit far longer than planned. The issues included malfunctions like thruster failures and helium leaks, which subsequently forced NASA to send the troubled spacecraft back to Earth in September without its crew.

Political Controversies

This prolonged absence has sparked a political firestorm, with figures such as SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump suggesting that the astronauts were effectively ‘abandoned’ due to political decisions made by the Biden administration. Musk accused the Biden administration of delaying the return to avoid giving Trump a political boost, especially since the ex-president had expressed interest in a faster return.

NASA's Response

Despite these claims, NASA officials have vigorously maintained that all operational decisions were made within the agency with careful consideration of safety protocols and budgets. Ken Bowersox, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Operations, emphasized that SpaceX had been collaborating with NASA since last July to prepare contingency return plans. He stated, "Adding missions or bringing a capsule home early were options, but we prioritized maintaining the ISS’s operational integrity."

Crew-9's Role

Crew-9's unanticipated mission, which involved NASA's Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, launched to fill the gaps left by the Starliner crew. After successfully docking in September, they have been stationed aboard the ISS, awaiting the new arrivals.

Crew-10 Details

Crew-10 is led by prominent faces in astronautics, including NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Japan’s Takuya Onishi and Russia’s Kirill Peskov. Their launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center is set for 7:48 PM ET on March 12, with expectations for docking scheduled for 10 AM ET on March 13.

Final Handover and Return

Following their successful installation aboard the ISS, Crew-10 will initiate a two-day handover with Crew-9 before the latter astronauts embark on their return journey to Earth. Conditionally based on good weather, they will undock from the ISS and make their way home, culminating in a total of 284 days in space for Williams and Wilmore.

Stay Tuned for Updates

Stay tuned for updates as we follow their journey back to Earth!