NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for eight months due to technical difficulties and mission rescheduling, are set to return to Earth in late March. Their return will follow the arrival of Crew 10 at the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12, after which Williams and Wilmore will complete a handover before their departure.
It’s jarring how quickly I went from the flight being so far in the future that it’s hard to believe it’ll happen, to having final training days and send-offs.
Crew-10 is ready to fly! We have the best training teams, flight controllers, families, and friends we could ask for. https://t.co/gwfAdfvpK5
— COL Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) February 27, 2025
Crew 10, consisting of Commander Anne McClain, Pilot Nichole Ayers, and mission specialists Takuya Onishi (JAXA) and Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos), will replace the outgoing astronauts. In preparation for the mission, the crew will undergo two weeks of isolation to prevent exposure to illnesses before joining the ISS crew, according to a NASA statement.
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Crew 10 is set to launch aboard a Dragon spacecraft on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA Kennedy on March 12. NASA announced that the launch is scheduled for 7:48 p.m. EDT (6.18 AM IST), with astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, JAXA’s Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov replacing Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore at the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 crewmembers will answer media questions in a live-from-space news conference at 11:55 a.m. EST Tuesday, March 4, as they look forward to their return to Earth from the @Space_Station.
For media information and how to tune in live: https://t.co/lJYF3KOyWW pic.twitter.com/trrOMG2Pgu
— NASA’s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) February 26, 2025
The return of Williams and Wilmore will depend on weather conditions. Initially, they arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5 last year. However, due to technical issues such as helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, the Starliner was deemed unsafe for their return. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, developed with $3 billion from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, will facilitate Crew 10’s mission.
Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program stated, “Human spaceflight is full of unexpected challenges. Our operational flexibility is enabled by the tremendous partnership between NASA and SpaceX and the agility SpaceX continues to demonstrate to safely meet the agency’s emerging needs.”
While anticipation builds for Sunita Williams’ return to Earth, concerns remain about the health challenges she may face after her extended stay in space. As per a report by the HealthSite.com, experts note that her body will struggle to adapt to Earth’s gravity, with even simple tasks like lifting a pencil becoming difficult.
Prolonged exposure to microgravity can lead to muscle atrophy, particularly in the legs, back, and core, as well as bone density loss, increasing the risk of fractures. Additionally, Williams may experience heart-related issues, as the heart’s workload decreases in microgravity, potentially leading to fainting and low blood pressure upon her return.
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