NASA is preparing to bring astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth earlier than expected after more than eight months on the International Space Station (ISS). The space agency is considering March 19 as their new return date, moving up their departure by about two weeks from the previously announced timeline, as per a Daily Mail report.
The change is tied to a shift in spacecraft assignments for SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission. Initially set to launch in February, Crew-10 faced delays when a technical issue emerged with the new Dragon capsule SpaceX planned to use. This pushed the launch to March and, in turn, postponed Williams and Wilmore’s return, which had been estimated for early April.
Williams and Wilmore are set to return aboard the SpaceX Crew-9 capsule, which has been docked at the ISS since September 29. However, NASA protocols require that Crew-9 remain at the station until Crew-10 arrives. This ensures a structured handover period, where the departing team briefs the incoming crew to maintain operational continuity.
By swapping out the Dragon capsule originally assigned to Crew-10, NASA aims to clear the way for an earlier launch, which would allow Crew-9 — along with Williams and Wilmore — to return home sooner than expected.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after their scheduled return was delayed due to technical concerns with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The duo launched on June 5, 2024, as part of the Starliner Crew Flight Test, marking the spacecraft’s first crewed mission. However, their return has been postponed multiple times due to propulsion system issues and helium leaks detected during flight.
Earlier, Donald Trump called on Elon Musk’s SpaceX to retrieve two astronauts he claims are “stranded” in space, despite an existing plan for SpaceX to bring them back in March and NASA confirming they are not stranded.
Trump had said that he had asked Musk and SpaceX to rescue “the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.” He ended his message with, “Good luck, Elon!!!”