NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are finally returning to Earth after extending their mission due to technical issues while completing an eight-day task at the International Space Station (ISS). They, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, are returning to Earth in a SpaceX capsule.
On March 18, at 05:05 GMT, they are expected to separate from the ISS and land near the coast of Florida at 21:57. To ensure a smooth and safe journey, the capsule must heat up to 1600°C as it re-enters the atmosphere. During this process, the astronauts must endure excessive loading, as they will face stress four times greater than Earth's gravitational force. Ultimately, the capsule will land softly in the ocean with the help of four parachutes.
This journey began in June 2024. In this mission, Butch and Sunita participated in the first test of the Starliner spacecraft developed by Boeing. However, due to technical issues during the flight, the astronauts' return home was deemed risky. Additionally, the Starliner capsule returned to Earth without a crew in September, necessitating a new capsule selection. Thus, NASA chose the SpaceX capsule that had gone to the ISS in September.
Due to issues with the Dragon capsule and space constraints, only two astronauts—Butch and Sunita—were left with a middle seat. Meanwhile, the SpaceX capsule is designed for a six-month flight duration, resulting in their stay at the ISS being extended until March 2025.
Furthermore, on March 16, the SpaceX capsule delivered a new crew to the International Space Station, which included Ann McClain, Nicole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takui Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Now, Butch Wilmore, Sunita Williams, Nick Hague, and Alexander Gorbunov are expected to return to Earth.
This mission has been a significant experience for the astronauts, serving as a foundation for their important and meaningful journeys in advanced space exploration at the ISS.
