Originally scheduled for a short mission, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for over eight months. They launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule last June for what was meant to be a one-week test flight. However, their return was delayed due to technical issues with the spacecraft.

During their approach to the International Space Station (ISS), five of the 28 thrusters on their Starliner capsule failed, leading to an extended mission. NASA has since decided that the Starliner will return to Earth without its crew after extensive testing.

NASA confirms new return date

NASA has announced that both astronauts will now return earlier than expected. Instead of late March or April, Williams and Wilmore will head home in mid-March aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, Endeavor.

In an exclusive conversation with CNN from space, Wilmore confirmed, “The plan is that Crew-10 will launch on March 12, do a turnover for a week and we will return on March 19.”

Crew-10 mission and return pla

The Crew-10 mission is set to launch from Earth on March 12, carrying a four-member team to the ISS. The crew includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

Following their arrival, a week-long handover will take place before Williams and Wilmore board the Dragon spacecraft that brought Crew-10 to space. They are expected to undock from the ISS on March 19 for their return to Earth.

Health impact of extended stay

Pictures of Williams have shown noticeable weight loss after spending months in space. Despite this, both astronauts have remained in high spirits. In January, Williams and Wilmore assured that they had plenty of food and were enjoying their time on the space station.

NASA announced in August that it was tasking Elon Musk’s SpaceX with bringing the crew home. Preparations for the Crew-10 mission are currently underway. “Teams will work to complete Dragon’s refurbishment and ready the spacecraft for flight, which includes trunk stack, propellant load, and transportation to SpaceX’s hangar at 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to be mated with the mission’s Falcon 9 rocket,” NASA stated.

Comparison with previous missions

Though their extended stay is significant, it has not yet surpassed Frank Rubio’s record-breaking 371 days aboard the ISS. Rubio, a NASA astronaut, spent over a year in space after the Russian spacecraft designated for his return developed a coolant leak.

Williams and Wilmore’s return will mark the end of a prolonged and unexpected mission, as they prepare to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere aboard SpaceX’s trusted Dragon spacecraft.