NASA astronauts stuck in space to return to Earth: Here’s the scoop

NASA Handout via AFP

Sunita “Suni” Williams, 59, and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, 61, are both experienced astronauts. Williams, who’s currently commanding the ISS, has spent 322 days in space and done nine spacewalks. She joined NASA in 1998. Wilmore, on the other hand, flew into space in 2009 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and has racked up 178 days in orbit. Before their current mission, he was a flight engineer and commander on earlier ISS missions.

They were part of Boeing’s mission to the ISS, with Wilmore as the commander and Williams as the pilot.

How They’re Finally Coming Home

Williams and Wilmore are gearing up to head home early Tuesday morning. They’ll be returning aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which has been sitting at the ISS since September 2024. This capsule originally brought other astronauts to the station, but now it has seats for Williams and Wilmore to get back.

The capsule is expected to undock from the ISS around 12:45am ET and land in the Atlantic Ocean just before 6pm ET.

What Went Wrong? Why Are They Stuck?

The astronauts got stuck because their original ride home, Boeing’s Starliner, ran into trouble. The spacecraft faced multiple problems, including helium leaks and thrusters that weren’t working right. The thrusters are key for reentry, and when more of them failed during their flight, NASA decided it wasn’t safe for human travel. So, Williams and Wilmore were left behind.

NASA made the call to send them back on a SpaceX capsule, but they couldn’t leave until Crew-10 showed up to replace them. Once Crew-10 arrived, it was finally time for Williams and Wilmore to come home.

How Long Have They Been Stuck?

These two astronauts have been in space since June 2024, meaning they’ll have spent over nine months aboard the ISS by the time they return. They were only supposed to stay for eight days, but issues with the spacecraft turned their short trip into a much longer one.

How Did They Keep Going Up There?

Even with all the extra time, Williams and Wilmore stayed healthy. Their days were pretty busy with regular workouts to keep their muscles and bones strong, plus plenty of work and downtime. They also had regular resupply missions, bringing food, water, and oxygen.

Over Christmas, they even had a fancy dinner with smoked oysters, lobster, and foie gras. And, they’ve stayed in touch with their families via email and phone calls, so it’s not all work and no play.

Has This Happened Before?

Williams and Wilmore aren’t the first astronauts to spend more time in space than planned. Frank Rubio, a NASA astronaut, spent 371 days on the ISS, the longest single spaceflight by a US astronaut, due to issues with his spacecraft. And in 1991, Soviet astronaut Sergei Krikalev was stuck on the Mir space station for 311 days because of political issues back on Earth.