NASA Astronauts Prepare Return After Unexpected Nine-Month ISS Stay

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to leave the ISS after extended mission caused by Boeing Starliner malfunctions.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore's planned eight-day mission aboard the ISS extended to nine months due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
The pair, along with Crew-9 astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, will return to Earth on March 19 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, pending weather conditions.
Crew-10, consisting of four astronauts from NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos, successfully arrived at the ISS on March 16 to replace the departing crew.
During their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore contributed to over 150 scientific experiments and observed significant Earth events like wildfires and hurricanes from orbit.
NASA and Boeing continue to address Starliner’s propulsion system issues, with plans to certify the spacecraft for future crewed missions by late 2025 or early 2026.