Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the test pilots for Boeing’s first crewed Starliner flight, initially embarked on their mission to the International Space Station anticipating a brief one-week stay. However, months later, their return has been rescheduled, with a new departure timeline set for early 2025 due to technical issues encountered on the Starliner spacecraft, which rendered it unfit for their journey home.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon on the Crew-8 mission departed the International Space Station on Wednesday, but Williams and Wilmore remained behind because they are not assigned to that spacecraft.
Starliner’s technical setbacks lead to crew dragon return plan
Nasa initially planned for Williams and Wilmore to return aboard the Starliner capsule. However, early in their mission, gas leaks and thruster issues raised safety concerns, leading Nasa to reassess the capsule’s reliability. With Starliner grounded, the agency arranged for their return on SpaceX’s Crew-9 capsule. This shift required significant planning and even displaced Crew-9’s original astronauts, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, to make room for Williams and Wilmore.
The Crew-9 mission launched on September 28, carrying only two astronauts and added ballast to stabilise the vehicle — a rare logistical adaptation in crewed spaceflight. The capsule docked with the ISS the next day, extending Williams and Wilmore’s mission to nearly nine months before their anticipated February 2025 return.
Williams and Wilmore integrate with ISS’s Expedition 72 crew
Initially treated as short-term visitors, Williams and Wilmore have now become integral members of the ISS’s Expedition 72. Nasa appointed Williams as station commander on September 22, and both astronauts have taken on routine tasks, including science experiments, maintenance, and spacewalks. Nasa confirmed they were well-prepared for this transition, having received extensive training in spacewalks, robotics, and ISS operations before the mission.
Williams and Wilmore are now engaged in research and daily operations. During a recent session, Williams completed a cognition test and handled radio frequency hardware, while Wilmore conducted microscope observations on particle behaviour.
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Emotional and physical challenges of extended spaceflight
For Williams, the mission has been deeply meaningful, having expressed that this return to space is a “dream.” However, the unexpected extension of their mission has posed personal challenges for both astronauts. Wilmore, who has taken the delay in stride, remarked, “I’m not gonna fret over it.” Meanwhile, Williams shared that she missed family events but expressed her joy, saying, “This is my happy place…every day you do something that’s work, quote, unquote, you can do it upside down.”
“You can do it sideways, so it adds a little different perspective,” she said.