NASA Astronauts Butch and William’s Stay on International Space Station Extended Again Following Technical Issues
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, 51, and Suni Williams, 58, find themselves in an unexpected extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), with their return now delayed until March or April 2025. Initially planned as an eight-day trip aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024, their mission has stretched into nearly ten months due to technical setbacks.
Why have they been on the ISS for so long?
The complications began when Boeing’s Starliner, a spacecraft meant to rival SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, experienced multiple technical failures. After safely delivering Wilmore and Williams to the ISS, the Starliner was returned to Earth empty in September, following helium leaks and degraded performance in its thrusters. Since then, the astronauts have remained on the ISS while awaiting a replacement crew.
NASA’s next scheduled crew, flying aboard SpaceX’s Crew-10 Dragon capsule, was originally set for launch in February 2025. However, additional time was required to complete fabrication, testing, and integration of the new spacecraft. The launch is now planned for late March at the earliest.
Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, emphasized the importance of precision in building a new spacecraft. “Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail,” he stated.
The delay means Wilmore and Williams must wait for a handover period with the incoming Crew-10 astronauts before they can return. This overlap ensures a smooth transition of responsibilities, ongoing research, and station maintenance.
Despite the setbacks, NASA assures there is no risk to the astronauts. The ISS recently received resupply missions in November, providing ample food, water, and other essentials. The holiday season even brought special items to lift the crew's spirits while celebrating in orbit.
Dr. Simeon Barber of the Open University noted that while missing the holidays with family is disappointing, astronauts are often deeply committed to their missions. “I'm sure that they are already disappointed that they were going to miss Christmas back home with the folks. But this is only another two months on an already quite long mission, and I'm sure if you ask them, I'm sure they would tell you that the space station is where they love to be,” he said, suggesting Wilmore and Williams are likely taking the delay in stride.
As NASA and its partners continue efforts to ensure the safe and successful return of the astronauts, Wilmore and Williams are making history with their resilience and adaptability in this extended mission.
