After an astonishing nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set for their return journey to Earth. Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission in June 2024, the astronauts faced delays due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they arrived on. Now, they will return home aboard a SpaceX capsule alongside fellow Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
The crew is expected to undock from the ISS at 0505 GMT (0105 EDT) Tuesday, aiming for a splashdown off Florida later that day around 2157 GMT (1757 EDT). However, inclement weather might shift the schedule. Their journey home will involve a challenging re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, where temperatures can reach 1600°C, and they will experience g-forces equivalent to four times Earth’s gravity. This thrilling yet arduous descent will culminate in a softened landing in the ocean facilitated by parachutes.
Helen Sharman, the UK's first astronaut, remarked that the experience is exhilarating. “Fresh air is the first thing that gets you,” she noted. Wilmore and Williams' journey began with their participation in the Starliner's crewed test flight, which encountered unfavorable technical glitches, preventing their timely return and ultimately making the SpaceX capsule their rescue vehicle two months later.
Throughout their extended stay, both astronauts successfully engaged in various experiments and conducted prominent spacewalks, with Williams setting a record for cumulative hours spent outside the ISS by a female astronaut. Despite being referred to as "stranded," their safety was never in jeopardy; multiple spacecraft were available for emergencies.
Reflecting on their unexpected mission extension, Wilmore expressed the usual readiness for more time in space, asserting, “That’s what your nation’s human space flight programme is all about.” Williams expressed sentiments of nostalgia about possibly concluding her missions, emphasizing the unique perspective gained from living in space.
Controversy arose when SpaceX's Elon Musk hinted that political factors delayed their return, a claim Nasa rebutted, clarifying that scheduling was aimed at optimizing the ISS operations. According to former Nasa astronaut Garrett Reisman, the high costs of alternative rescue missions rendered them impractical.
Once they return to the Earth, Wilmore and Williams will undergo medical evaluations at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Long-term space missions have notable physical effects on astronauts, including muscle loss and changes in eyesight. Recovery will involve an intensive exercise program, but their immediate priority will be reuniting with loved ones, recalling sentiments of simple earthly pleasures like the warmth of sunlight and the company of pets which they keenly anticipated while in orbit.
The crew is expected to undock from the ISS at 0505 GMT (0105 EDT) Tuesday, aiming for a splashdown off Florida later that day around 2157 GMT (1757 EDT). However, inclement weather might shift the schedule. Their journey home will involve a challenging re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, where temperatures can reach 1600°C, and they will experience g-forces equivalent to four times Earth’s gravity. This thrilling yet arduous descent will culminate in a softened landing in the ocean facilitated by parachutes.
Helen Sharman, the UK's first astronaut, remarked that the experience is exhilarating. “Fresh air is the first thing that gets you,” she noted. Wilmore and Williams' journey began with their participation in the Starliner's crewed test flight, which encountered unfavorable technical glitches, preventing their timely return and ultimately making the SpaceX capsule their rescue vehicle two months later.
Throughout their extended stay, both astronauts successfully engaged in various experiments and conducted prominent spacewalks, with Williams setting a record for cumulative hours spent outside the ISS by a female astronaut. Despite being referred to as "stranded," their safety was never in jeopardy; multiple spacecraft were available for emergencies.
Reflecting on their unexpected mission extension, Wilmore expressed the usual readiness for more time in space, asserting, “That’s what your nation’s human space flight programme is all about.” Williams expressed sentiments of nostalgia about possibly concluding her missions, emphasizing the unique perspective gained from living in space.
Controversy arose when SpaceX's Elon Musk hinted that political factors delayed their return, a claim Nasa rebutted, clarifying that scheduling was aimed at optimizing the ISS operations. According to former Nasa astronaut Garrett Reisman, the high costs of alternative rescue missions rendered them impractical.
Once they return to the Earth, Wilmore and Williams will undergo medical evaluations at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Long-term space missions have notable physical effects on astronauts, including muscle loss and changes in eyesight. Recovery will involve an intensive exercise program, but their immediate priority will be reuniting with loved ones, recalling sentiments of simple earthly pleasures like the warmth of sunlight and the company of pets which they keenly anticipated while in orbit.
