Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Finally Set To Return After 9-Month Space Stay

After spending nine months in space, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are just weeks away from their long-awaited return to Earth.

However, they must wait until their replacements arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) next week before they can depart later this month.

The two astronauts will return on a SpaceX spacecraft, accompanied by a pair of astronauts who launched solo in September, with two empty seats alongside them.

Speaking from the ISS on Tuesday, Williams shared that the most challenging part of their unexpectedly prolonged stay has been the wait endured by their families back home.

Wilmore and Williams initially expected their mission to last only about a week when they launched last June aboard Boeing’s Starliner, marking its first crewed flight after years of delays.

However, the spacecraft encountered numerous issues en route to the ISS, leading NASA to deem it unsafe for human travel. As a result, the capsule was sent back to Earth empty.

Their return was further delayed due to the extended preparation time needed for a brand-new SpaceX capsule, which was initially intended to transport their replacements.

In February, NASA opted for a used capsule, delaying the launch to March 12. After a week at the ISS, Wilmore and Williams will return with NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov.