NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, part of the Crew-9 mission, are finally ready to return to Earth after months-long stay on the International Space Station (ISS). The two veteran NASA astronauts, who were originally scheduled to leave the station in June but faced technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, had their plans altered when they joined forces with Russian cosmonauts and participated in science experiments.
The crew’s return is set for this month, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule that transported Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the station in September. Williams and Wilmore will be reunited with their families and friends after an unexpectedly lengthened stay.
The astronauts have been at the center of controversy recently, as President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed they were “abandoned” or “stuck” in space. However, Williams and Wilmore repeatedly denied these claims, stating that they are not feeling abandoned or stranded.
“We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded,” Wilmore said during a recent news conference. The astronauts’ focus is now on reuniting with their loved ones and concluding their successful long-duration mission.
The Crew-10 mission, led by the Dragon capsule transporting Hague and Gorbunov, is due to launch as early as March 12. Williams and Wilmore will join the new crew for handover activities before departing in the SpaceX Dragon capsule to return to Earth.
With their journey home nearing, the astronauts are reflecting on the incredible experience they’ve had while living on the ISS. “The fact that we’re living up here in this very unique place gives you an amazing perspective,” Williams said.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/04/starliner-astronauts-iss-nasa/81159795007