Wilmore and Williams Set to Return After Nine Months in Space
NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday evening, a long-awaited step toward bringing home U.S. astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been aboard the ISS for nine months.
The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a Crew Dragon capsule with four astronauts, lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 p.m. ET (2303 GMT). The new crew will replace Wilmore and Williams, who were originally sent to the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which has since been plagued with technical issues.
While Crew-10 is a routine crew rotation mission, it also marks a crucial first step in the plan to bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. Their extended stay on the ISS was part of NASA’s contingency plan, ensuring that the station remained adequately staffed until the next crew’s arrival.
New Crew Arrives, Wilmore and Williams Prepare for Departure
The Crew-10 astronauts are set to dock with the ISS at 11:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, after which Wilmore and Williams will depart on Sunday at 4 a.m. ET (0800 GMT). They will return to Earth aboard a Crew Dragon capsule along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who flew to the ISS in September with two extra seats reserved for Wilmore and Williams.
The Crew-10 team, which will stay on the ISS for approximately six months, includes:
- Anne McClain (NASA) – Crew-10 Mission Commander
- Nichole Ayers (NASA)
- Takuya Onishi (Japan – JAXA)
- Kirill Peskov (Russia – Roscosmos)
Message of Unity and Exploration
During the launch broadcast, McClain introduced the mission’s microgravity indicator—a plush origami crane, which she described as the “international symbol for peace, hope, and healing.”
McClain delivered a powerful message from orbit, emphasizing unity in space exploration:
“It is far easier to be enemies than it is to be friends. It’s easier to break partnerships than to build them. Spaceflight is hard, and success depends on leaders who choose a harder right over an easier wrong. We explore for the benefit of all.”
Her words underscored the importance of global cooperation in space exploration, especially during a time of political tensions on Earth.
Political Pressure and Mission Adjustments
The Crew-10 mission became politically charged, with former U.S. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk urging a faster launch and accusing the Biden administration of abandoning Wilmore and Williams on the ISS—a claim NASA has denied.
Wilmore himself addressed the controversy, emphasizing that the extended mission was not political but a necessary adjustment:
“We came prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short. That’s what human spaceflight is all about—planning for the unknown, unexpected contingencies.”
NASA had initially scheduled Crew-10 for March 26 but accelerated preparations, swapping a delayed Crew Dragon capsule for an earlier one to launch sooner.
Challenges in Preparing for the Mission
The accelerated schedule led to last-minute challenges for NASA and SpaceX. NASA had to address late-breaking technical issues, including:
- A fuel leak on a recent Falcon 9 launch
- Deterioration of thermal coatings on Crew Dragon’s thrusters
Despite these hurdles, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich acknowledged the unique timeline but praised the collaboration with SpaceX:
“We’re not quite as agile as they are, but we’re working well together.”
Wilmore and Williams Ready to Return Home
Throughout their extended mission, Wilmore and Williams have remained active, conducting scientific research and ISS maintenance.
Williams shared her excitement about returning home:
“I can’t wait to see my family and my two dogs. It’s been a roller coaster for them, probably more so than for us.”
With the Crew-10 mission successfully launched, Wilmore and Williams’ return is finally within sight, marking the conclusion of their unexpected but historic extended stay aboard the ISS.
