Starliner Astronauts to Return Early Aboard SpaceX Dragon Amidst Weather Concerns

The saga surrounding the Boeing Starliner mission has taken another turn as NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now slated to return to Earth sooner than initially anticipated. Unfavorable weather conditions off the Florida coast have prompted NASA and SpaceX to expedite the return of Wilmore and Williams, who will be joined by the two members of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission for their journey home.

The four spacefarers – Wilmore, Williams, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov – are expected to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) early Tuesday morning aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Their journey will culminate in a water landing near Florida on Tuesday evening, marking the end of a protracted and eventful stay in orbit for Wilmore and Williams.

NASA had originally targeted a Wednesday undocking and return for the crew, but the evolving weather patterns along the Florida coast necessitated a change in plans to ensure the safety and successful recovery of the astronauts and the Dragon spacecraft.

The impending homecoming has been a long time coming for Wilmore and Williams, who initially embarked on their mission to the ISS in June aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. This mission was intended to be the maiden crewed voyage of Boeing’s new vehicle, representing a significant milestone in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. However, the mission was plagued by a series of technical issues that ultimately led NASA to send the Starliner back to Earth in September without its crew. The spacecraft performed an autonomous landing in New Mexico, but the absence of Wilmore and Williams highlighted the challenges that Boeing faced in bringing the Starliner to operational readiness.

Following the Starliner’s premature return, Wilmore and Williams were integrated into the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, awaiting the arrival of Hague and Gorbunov later that same month. Since then, they have been patiently waiting for the conclusion of the Crew-9 mission and the arrival of their replacements, the Crew-10 team.

The arrival of the Crew-10 astronauts on Saturday, following a Friday night launch from Florida, finally set the stage for Wilmore and Williams to make their long-awaited return to Earth. The Crew-10 mission comprises NASA astronaut Anne McClain, who serves as the mission commander, NASA pilot Nichole Ayers, and two mission specialists: Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

The Crew-10 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, propelling the astronauts into orbit aboard their own Dragon capsule, named Dragon Endurance. This particular Dragon capsule has a history of spaceflight, having previously served on other SpaceX crew missions. Upon separating from the rocket, the Dragon Endurance utilized its own thrusters to autonomously navigate its way to the International Space Station.

Before their departure, the outgoing astronauts of Crew-9, including Wilmore and Williams, are spending several days assisting the new arrivals in familiarizing themselves with the orbital laboratory and its operations. This handover period ensures a smooth transition of responsibilities and allows the Crew-10 members to quickly integrate into the ongoing research and maintenance activities on the ISS. Once the Crew-9 members have departed, Ayers, McClain, Onishi, and Peskov will officially become part of Expedition 73, embarking on a six-month rotation dedicated to conducting a wide array of scientific experiments in the unique microgravity environment of space.

The SpaceX crew missions are contracted under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, a groundbreaking initiative that allows the U.S. space agency to partner with private companies like SpaceX to launch and transport astronauts and cargo to orbit aboard their own vehicles. This program has significantly reduced NASA’s reliance on foreign space agencies and has fostered innovation and competition in the spaceflight industry. The Boeing Starliner is intended to become a second operational vehicle for NASA under this program, providing redundancy and increased capacity for crew transportation to the ISS. However, its path toward certification remains uncertain following the setbacks encountered during its inaugural crewed flight test.

The Starliner astronauts, Wilmore and Williams, are scheduled to board the SpaceX Dragon that the Crew-9 team used to reach the space station in late September. The undocking is scheduled to occur around 1:05 a.m. EST on Tuesday. Following undocking, Wilmore, Williams, Hague, and Gorbunov will embark on an approximately 17-hour flight back to Earth, culminating in a water landing off the Florida coast at around 5:57 p.m. EST, according to NASA.

NASA plans to provide comprehensive coverage of both the undocking and landing on its streaming service, NASA+. A livestream of the Dragon’s undocking is scheduled to begin at 12:45 a.m. EST on Tuesday. The space agency will then resume coverage of the Dragon’s return voyage around 4:45 p.m. EST on Tuesday, showcasing the spacecraft’s planned deorbiting burn and subsequent water landing.

Following the landing, a press conference will be held around 7:30 p.m. for NASA officials to discuss the successful return of the astronauts. However, the astronauts themselves will not participate in the press conference so soon after returning to Earth, as they will require time to readjust to gravity and undergo medical evaluations.

The Saturday night arrival of the Crew-10 astronauts marks the end of a remarkable and extended stay in orbit for Wilmore and Williams, who have spent more than nine months and 280 days in space. Their journey has been filled with challenges and unexpected turns, but their resilience and dedication have allowed them to contribute significantly to the ongoing research and operations on the International Space Station. Their return aboard the SpaceX Dragon signifies the culmination of a unique collaboration between NASA and SpaceX, showcasing the adaptability and flexibility of the Commercial Crew Program in the face of unforeseen circumstances.