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NASA Astronauts Prepare to Return to Earth After Extended ISS Mission
Image Caption: In a video still, experienced NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams wave from the hatch of a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule as they prepare to close it for their undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) on March 17, 2025. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: After a remarkable nine-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS), two NASA astronauts are set to journey back to Earth early Tuesday, bringing a highly publicized mission to a close.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who arrived at the ISS in June of the previous year, initially intended to participate in a short mission aimed at testing Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed flight. However, technical difficulties with the spacecraft’s propulsion system forced a change of plans; it was unable to return the astronauts and flew back empty instead.
The seasoned pilots, aged 62 and 59, were then reassigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. This clever adjustment allowed a smaller team of only two astronauts to board the supply Dragon spacecraft that arrived at the ISS last September, making space to accommodate the "stranded" duo.
On Sunday, a new crew, known as Crew-10, successfully docked with the ISS, marking a heartwarming reunion as crew members exchanged smiles and embraced upon their entry through the hatch.
With Crew-10’s arrival, Wilmore and Williams are finally ready to leave the ISS, joined by fellow astronaut Nick Hague from the U.S. and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. After saying fond farewells to the remaining crew, the group entered the capsule and sealed the hatch at 11:05 p.m. (03:05 GMT Tuesday). Pending final system checks, the Dragon spacecraft is slated to undock at 1:05 a.m. (05:05 GMT).
If all goes according to plan, upon return, the Dragon will deploy parachutes and splash down in the ocean off Florida, where a recovery vessel will be waiting to retrieve the crew.
‘Remarkable Resilience’
Williams and Wilmore’s mission duration exceeds the typical six-month rotation aboard the ISS, yet their stay ranks only sixth in U.S. records for longest single missions. Frank Rubio currently holds the record at 371 days from 2023, while the world record is held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent an astonishing 437 days on the Mir space station.
According to Rihana Bokhari, a specialist at the Center for Space Medicine at Baylor College, the duration of their stay is manageable in terms of health risks. Astronauts can encounter challenges like muscle and bone loss, changes in fluid distribution, and the need to readjust to Earth’s gravity, but these issues are well-understood and can be effectively managed.
"Suni Williams is known for her commitment to exercise; I believe she maintains a workout regimen that exceeds the standard requirements," Bokhari mentioned in an interview with AFP.
Nevertheless, their unanticipated extended stay—separated from their families and without initially sufficient supplies—has sparked public intrigue and sympathy. “Imagine discovering that you would be confined to your workplace for the next nine months. You might feel a surge of panic,” stated psychologist Joseph Keebler from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, adding, “These astronauts have demonstrated incredible resilience.”
Political Attention
Their extended mission also became a contentious political issue, with former President Donald Trump and his close associate, Elon Musk, suggesting that President Joe Biden failed to act promptly to rescue the astronauts.
On Truth Social, Trump commented, “They shamefully forgot about the astronauts, viewing this as an embarrassing situation for them.”
These allegations have drawn criticism within the space community, especially since Musk provided no specific details and NASA’s planned return for the astronauts shifted only after their reassignment to Crew-9.
Trump made headlines with unusual remarks, referring to Williams—a distinguished former Navy captain—as “the woman with the wild hair,” and posed questions about the interpersonal dynamics among the crew members, saying, “I hope they like each other; perhaps they love each other. I don’t know.”
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