NASA Delays Sunita Williams’ Return to Earth: Latest Updates

NASA Delays Sunita Williams’ Return: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams’ return from the International Space Station (ISS) has been pushed back again. Ms Williams, 59, will now land on Earth after March next year. NASA says the crew is safe and healthy on the ISS.

NASA announced that the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that will bring her back will launch no earlier than late March. Ms Williams arrived at the ISS in June. Her return was earlier delayed to February next year due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft she flew on.

The mission will launch no earlier than late March 2025. It was supposed to launch in February. The agency said the launch was delayed to allow teams to process a new Dragon spacecraft.

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“Known as a handover period, it allows Crew-9 to pass on any lessons learned to the new crew and support ongoing science and maintenance at the complex,” NASA said in a statement on Tuesday.

However, NASA did not mention a specific date for the astronauts' return.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) in June this year for a scheduled eight-day mission. A short stay turned out to be a months-long ordeal when the Boeing Starliner capsule they arrived on was deemed unfit to return them to Earth.

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The two astronauts remain safe aboard the ISS, also called a permanent ‘home’ in space for scientists deployed for technical research missions. The ISS is periodically well-stocked and efficiently supplied.

The crew capsules can also serve as ‘lifeboats’ if the astronauts need to evacuate the ISS in case of an emergency or threat to safety. Boeing’s Starliner was a ‘lifeboat’ for Williams and Willmore before it malfunctioned with thruster failures and helium gas leaks and they got stuck inside ISS.

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