Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are facing yet another delay to their return from the International Space Station (ISS), pushing their planned homecoming to no earlier than late March or possibly April 2025. Initially slated for just eight days, their mission has extended to nearly ten months following numerous setbacks with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
The astronauts launched aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule on June 5, 2024, expecting to spend about a week on the ISS. Due to technical problems on the spacecraft, including helium leaks and thruster issues, their return has been repeatedly postponed. The mission, which had initially been meant to demonstrate Starliner's capabilities for future crewed flights, saw the capsule return uncrewed last September, emphasizing the challenges Boeing faces.
NASA announced the continuation of Williams and Wilmore's stay during a press conference on Tuesday, stating, "the next crew, Crew-10, will dock with the ISS no earlier than late March," which is the primary reason for the delay. Until the arrival of the new crew, the current astronauts, which include Williams and Wilmore, cannot return home.
The Crew-10 mission, using SpaceX's Dragon capsule, has now been moved back from its original February launch window. According to NASA, this allows their teams “time to complete processing on the new Dragon spacecraft,” to accommodate the astronauts' eventual return. Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, noted, "Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor..." highlighting the precise work required to prepare the vessel for human flight.
This latest schedule adjustment means Wilmore and Williams will have been aboard the ISS for approximately nine months by the time of their anticipated return. While most missions typically last six months, NASA has publicly assured the safety and well-being of the astronauts, stating, "The ISS recently received two resupply flights...and is well-stocked with everything the crew needs, including food, water, clothing, and oxygen."
The continued presence of Wilmore and Williams on the ISS offers several benefits for the space station’s operations. NASA prefers to have overlapping crew periods to facilitate smoother transitions and knowledge sharing. With current crews still aboard, they can share insights and lessons learned from their extensive time spent on the station.
While there have been concerns about the astronauts possibly missing holiday celebrations back home, Dr. Simeon Barber from the Open University indicated this extended duration shouldn’t pose any additional risk or hardship. He remarked, "I'm sure they are disappointed to miss Christmas back home...but I’m sure if you ask them, they would tell you they love it up there aboard the space station."
To complicate matters, NASA considered utilizing another SpaceX capsule to expedite the replacement crew's flight and maintain the timeline. After thorough discussions, they decided the best course of action was to await the newly prepared Dragon capsule. This cautious approach ensures the mission’s safety and maximizes the efficiency of operations on the ISS.
Although NASA's decision has been met with impatience, it helps underline the curative challenges NASA and its partners face amid rapid advancements and pressures from commercial aerospace operations. Between delays associated with the Starliner and updates needed for the replacement missions, the roles of private contractors like SpaceX become increasingly significant as NASA pivots toward leveraging commercial partnerships.
Boeing remains under scrutiny as they work to remedy the setbacks from their Starliner program. Having initially hoped the capsule would confidently transport crews to and from the ISS regularly, the company is now focused on completing ground tests and implementing modifications necessary to rectify propulsion system issues.
Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to achieve reliability and success with its Dragon spacecraft, frequently delivering astronauts and supplies to the ISS since 2020. This juxtaposition highlights how rapidly the competitive spaceflight environment is changing, and with it, the expectations placed upon both established aerospace giants and newcomers.
Looking forward, NASA has anticipated the upcoming Crew-10 mission with optimism, hinting at greater reliability and partnerships with commercial entities. The astronauts Wilmore and Williams remain grounded, for now, holding steadfast to scientific efforts and operations onboard until they can finally return to Earth after months of unexpected extension.
