NASA Expedites Return of Astronauts Williams and Wilmore from ISS

By siliconindia  |  Thursday, 30 January 2025, 12:54:29 PM IST

NASA Expedites Return of Astronauts Williams and Wilmore from ISS
NASA said it is in close cooperation with SpaceX to bring back Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, who have been marooned on the International Space Station (ISS) for 238 days. The statement came a day after SpaceX founder Elon Musk said US President Donald Trump personally asked him to expedite bringing back the astronauts.
Musk described the situation as 'terrible', highlighting the prolonged stay of the astronauts at the ISS, and emphasized the urgency of their return. “NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore as soon as practical”, NASA stated in a post on the social media platform X. The agency also mentioned that it is preparing for the launch of Crew-10 to ensure a smooth handover between expeditions, although the exact date of return has yet to be confirmed.
Williams, who has spent more than 322 days in space across two missions, along with Wilmore, became the first astronauts to ride the faulty Starliner developed by Boeing in June 2024. What was initially planned as an eight-day mission on the ISS has extended to 238 days. While the astronauts were initially scheduled to return in February, their return was delayed by another month. They are now slated to return to Earth in March aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.
In an earlier conversation with students from a US school, Williams shared her experiences aboard the ISS and described the challenge of living in space. “I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk”, she remarked, highlighting the effects of long-term space travel. At 59 years old, Williams is also preparing for her second spacewalk, which is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. This will be her first spacewalk in 12 years.
During the upcoming mission, Williams and Wilmore will perform crucial tasks, including removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss and collecting surface material samples from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock. These samples will be analyzed to determine the presence of microorganisms on the station’s exterior. Additionally, they will prepare a spare elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm, in case it needs replacement.
Williams holds the second spot for total cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut, with 50 hours and 40 minutes spent on spacewalks.

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