Two Nasa astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since last summer will return to Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore left Earth in June 2024 for an eight-day mission to test Boeing Starliner’s capsule
The capsule suffered technical issues, so Nasa decided to keep them on the ISS and return the Starliner to Earth empty
The journey home is expected to last over 12 hours, with splashdown expected just before 22:00GMT
When Butch and Suni arrived on the International Space Station in June, the plan was to stay for just eight days. They were taking part in the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
But the capsule suffered several technical problems on its way to the space station, and it was deemed too risky to take the astronauts home. This capsule was flown back empty in early September, but it meant Butch and Suni needed a new ride back to Earth.
So Nasa opted for the next scheduled flight: a SpaceX capsule that was due to arrive in late September. It flew with two astronauts instead of four, leaving two seats spare for Butch and Suni’s return. The only catch was this had a planned six-month mission, extending the astronauts stay until now.
The arrival of a replacement crew on Sunday was the final step needed for Butch and Suni’s return –after a short hand-over with the new team – it means their mission is now at an end
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