Homeward bound: Stranded NASA astronauts prepare for long-awaited return to Earth after 9-month space odyssey
At long last, the NASA astronauts stranded in space are preparing for long-awaited return to Earth.
At long last, NASA astronauts and Starliner crew members Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are preparing for a return to their home planet.
Chosen as the first crewed flight test of the Boeing Starliner back in June of last year, the astronauts' journey to the International Space Station was only supposed to last a few days. Little did the pair know that their stay would be extended by a number of months.
Their ship had been delayed various times before launch and the capsule went on to suffer a number of problems as it docked at the ISS. After much debate, NASA deemed it too dangerous for them to return and postponed their return to Earth; the ship flew back empty in November.
When will the stranded NASA astronauts arrive on Earth?
And now, NASA have cleared a relief crew to launch on SpaceX Dragon next week, with the pair set to return to Earth on March 16.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were launched on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission in November and will arrive at the ISS this month.
However, they must wait for a swap-over with Crew-10, a mission that will include NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA’s Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov.
Crew-10’s Dragon capsule transporting the four-member party is due to launch at 7:48 p.m. ET on March 12 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The targeted docking time is approximately 10 a.m. ET March 13.
The two teams will have a brief hand-over period before Crew-9 set off back to the blue planet. The stranded astronauts are set for splashdown on our planet around March 19 or 20, depending on the weather.
Despite much debate about being ‘left up there’, including some strange comments from US President Donald Trump about the two astronauts ‘being in love’, Butch Wilmore was clear enough about his stance on the situation: “That’s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck — and I get it. We both get it. But that is, again, not what our human spaceflight program is about. We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded.”
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment
Your opinion will be published with first and last names