After spending more than nine months stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally set to return to Earth on Tuesday, the space agency confirmed.
The duo, who were originally meant to be on a short-duration test flight, became stuck on the ISS after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft suffered propulsion system failures, making it unsafe for their return journey. Since June 2024, they have been waiting for an alternative way home.
NASA announced that Wilmore and Williams will travel back aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which arrived at the ISS early Sunday, along with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The spacecraft is scheduled to splash down off the Florida coast at approximately 5:57 PM ET (21:57 GMT) on Tuesday, with the return process being broadcast live starting Monday evening.
NASA cited favorable weather conditions as the reason for moving up the return from its initial Wednesday schedule. The space agency stated, “The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected for later in the week.”
Longest Stay In Space For Starliner Crew
Although the standard ISS mission length is around six months, Wilmore and Williams’ stay stretched to over nine months, making their ordeal one of the longest unintended space missions in history. Their situation attracted widespread attention, especially after NASA had to send them additional clothing and personal care items due to their extended stay.
Despite their prolonged mission, their time in space is still shorter than the U.S. spaceflight record of 371 days, set by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio in 2023, and the world record held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days aboard the Mir space station.
The return of the astronauts will mark the end of a challenging chapter for Boeing’s Starliner program, which has faced multiple delays and technical issues. NASA is expected to further assess the spacecraft’s problems before proceeding with future crewed flights.
