March 17, 2025 – NASA has confirmed that preparations are nearly complete to bring back astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for the past nine months. The two astronauts, who initially embarked on a 10-day mission, will return to Earth on March 19. NASA has assured that their return is expected to be successful, marking a crucial milestone in space exploration and safety.
Crew Dragon to Bring Astronauts Home
NASA announced on Sunday that the astronauts will be returning via SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, which is expected to land off the Florida coast. The live coverage of their return will begin on March 17 at 10:45 PM, showcasing the closure of the spacecraft’s hatch and final departure preparations. The actual splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean is scheduled for March 18 at 5:57 PM.
The mission to retrieve Williams and Wilmore was accelerated following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump to Elon Musk, urging an early return. Initially, their return was slated for late March, but after months of delay due to technical malfunctions in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, NASA decided to utilize SpaceX’s reliable Crew Dragon.
A Stranded Mission
Williams and Wilmore launched to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024. The mission was supposed to last only a week, but a critical issue in the propulsion system of the Starliner capsule prevented their return. This unexpected malfunction left them stranded on the space station for over nine months, leading NASA to seek an alternative return strategy.
Contributions of Sunita Williams in Space
During her extended stay on the ISS, Sunita Williams conducted significant scientific research, accumulating over 900 hours of experimentation. She also played a key role in testing and flying the Boeing Starliner, a spacecraft she helped develop, which came for $4.2 billion to NASA. Additionally, Sunita Williams and Wilmore contributed to station maintenance by replacing and cleaning various components, while also managing waste disposal.
NASA’s Critical Mission
NASA has described the upcoming return as the most crucial phase of the mission. Astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov have been assigned to assist in the safe return of Williams and Wilmore. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the ISS on Sunday as part of SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, will serve as their transport vessel back to Earth.
Keep Reading Questiqa.in
Get more News Headlines At Our Social Platforms And Do Follow.
