NASA Issues Major Update on Sunita Williams’ Return, Confirms New Schedule

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): NASA is preparing to bring astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth earlier than expected, with March 19 now being considered as their new return date. The change moves up their departure by about two weeks from the previously announced timeline.  

The adjustment is linked to SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, which was initially scheduled to launch in February but faced delays due to technical issues with a new Dragon capsule. As a result, the launch was pushed to March, causing a domino effect that postponed Williams and Wilmore’s return, originally estimated for early April.  

Williams and Wilmore will return aboard the SpaceX Crew-9 capsule, which has been docked at the International Space Station (ISS) since September 29, 2024. NASA protocols require Crew-9 to remain at the ISS until Crew-10 arrives to ensure a smooth handover, allowing the incoming crew to be fully briefed before taking over operations.  

To facilitate an earlier return, NASA has reassigned the Dragon capsule originally intended for Crew-10, clearing the way for an accelerated launch schedule. This shift allows Crew-9, along with Williams and Wilmore, to come home sooner than anticipated.  

Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump recently claimed that Williams and Wilmore were “stranded” in space, urging Elon Musk’s SpaceX to rescue them. However, NASA has dismissed these claims, stating that the astronauts are not stranded and have always had a planned return schedule. SpaceX remains on track to bring them back in March as per NASA’s revised timeline.