NASA Confirms Sunita Williams' Return Date from ISS in Latest Update

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): NASA has confirmed that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stationed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since September may return to Earth earlier than initially expected. Their return, originally planned for late March or April has now been moved up to mid-March as announced by NASA this week.

The decision to expedite their return follows NASA’s shift in capsule assignments for upcoming astronaut flights. This adjustment is aimed at shortening the astronauts’ extended stay which recently surpassed eight months. NASA’s commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich acknowledged the unpredictability of human spaceflight and emphasized the necessity of modifying plans to ensure their timely return.

Williams and Wilmore were initially supposed to return in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule after a short demonstration flight. However, technical difficulties during Starliner’s mission to the ISS led to NASA’s decision to send the capsule back empty. As a result, the two astronauts were reassigned to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule for their journey home.

Why the Delay?

The delay in their return was compounded by postponed launches of SpaceX’s replacement crew. Additional preparations were required for a new capsule, which further pushed back Williams and Wilmore’s mission timeline. To prevent further delays, NASA opted to use a previously flown SpaceX capsule for the next crewed mission.

This upcoming launch, initially designated for a private crew organized by Axiom Space is now scheduled for March 12. The private astronauts from Poland, Hungary and India will instead fly later in the spring, following Wilmore and Williams’ return. Typically, NASA prefers a new crew to arrive at the ISS before the current crew departs to ensure smooth handover operations. In this instance, the next crew heading to the ISS will include two NASA astronauts along with astronauts from Japan and Russia. NASA’s revised schedule comes just weeks after stating that efforts were being made to bring the astronauts home as soon as possible. With this adjustment, their prolonged mission—marked by unexpected hurdles—will soon conclude, allowing them to return to Earth safely.