Stranded ISS Astronauts Set for Return to Earth After Nine-Month Delay
NASA and SpaceX plan to bring Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore back to Earth on Tuesday after extended stay caused by spacecraft issues.
- US astronauts Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, originally scheduled for a one-week mission, have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months due to technical problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
- NASA and SpaceX have scheduled their return for early Tuesday morning, with the Crew Dragon capsule expected to land in the ocean near Florida by late evening, weather permitting.
- The delay stemmed from safety concerns after the Starliner spacecraft experienced significant technical issues, prompting NASA to return it to Earth unmanned in September 2024.
- A new crew, dubbed 'Crew 10,' arrived on the ISS over the weekend via SpaceX's Crew Dragon, allowing for the planned transition and return of 'Crew 9,' which includes Williams, Wilmore, and two other astronauts.
- The extended mission offers unique research opportunities on the physical and psychological impacts of long-term space travel on astronauts.
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