NASA Astronauts Returning Early from ISS with SpaceX Capsule

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to return early from ISS with SpaceX’s capsule swap solution.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will be coming back from the International Space Station (ISS) earlier than expected, courtesy of a capsule swap organized by SpaceX. Originally scheduled to return in late March or April, the astronauts will be coming back to Earth in mid-March instead. Their longer-than-expected stay on the ISS, which has been more than eight months long, was brought about by delays due to technical problems in Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

In a bid to accelerate their return, NASA has opted to utilize a previously used SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, Endeavor, for the Crew-10 mission. The change is due to delays in manufacturing a new capsule and has pushed the launch of the Crew-10 mission to March 12, 2025, from its initially scheduled date of March 25. The adjustment will reduce the duration of Williams and Wilmore's extended mission and enable the astronauts to return sooner.

The Crew-10 mission, carrying a four-member crew to the ISS, includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Their coming aboard the ISS will facilitate Williams and Wilmore, along with fellow astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, to return to Earth following a brief handover period.

Williams and Wilmore's mission was meant to be a temporary one, but due to some technical glitches with Boeing's Starliner capsule, including propulsion malfunctions and propellant leaks, their ISS stay was extended.

NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich also commented on the matter, highlighting the integral partnership between NASA and SpaceX. He explained, "Human spaceflight is full of surprise challenges. Our operational flexibility is enabled by the extraordinary relationship between NASA and SpaceX, and the flexibility SpaceX continues to demonstrate to safely accommodate the agency's changing needs."