9 Months Stranded in Space! Astronauts Finally Coming Home!

2025-03-18 06:03:11.058

US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to return to Earth on Tuesday after spending nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their journey home aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, "Freedom," follows unexpected delays. Initially slated for a 10-day mission, mechanical issues with their original Boeing Starliner capsule left them stranded last June. The incident impacted Boeing's spaceflight program and necessitated a SpaceX rescue mission. Wilmore and Williams had to wait for a ride back with fellow astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on Crew 9, after the arrival of Crew 10. Elon Musk alleged that plans to return Wilmore and Williams earlier were blocked by the Biden administration, a claim denied by officials. Their extended stay will place them sixth on NASA's single spaceflight duration list, behind Peggy Whitson. Frank Rubio currently holds the record at 371 days.