Starliner Saga Nearing Its End: Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Poised for Earth Return

The long and winding road of the Boeing Starliner mission is seemingly nearing its conclusion, with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams potentially just days away from returning to Earth. Their homecoming would mark the end of a prolonged and unforeseen stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), a stay far exceeding the initial expectations of both the astronauts and mission planners.

The prospect of Wilmore and Williams boarding a SpaceX Dragon capsule, together with the Crew-9 mission team, and undocking from the ISS signifies a monumental step towards putting the Starliner ordeal in the past. The planned water landing off the coast of Florida promises a triumphant return for the experienced spacefarers, who initially anticipated a relatively brief sojourn at the orbital laboratory, lasting no more than a week or so after their arrival in June.

However, the week-long mission of the Starliner crew unexpectedly transformed into a prolonged endeavor, stretching for the better part of a year. While extended stays in space are not entirely uncommon, the duration of Wilmore and Williams’ mission has significantly surpassed the average length of most orbital missions. Although NASA astronauts occasionally remain in space for periods exceeding 200 days, the space agency and SpaceX are actively working to prevent Wilmore and Williams from joining the exclusive group of astronauts who have spent over 300 days in space.

The delayed launch of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission on Wednesday underscored the inherent uncertainties associated with space travel. Nevertheless, if all goes according to the revised plan, the mission to facilitate the return of the Starliner astronauts could commence as early as Friday night. This would position Wilmore and Williams’ spaceflight as the sixth-longest in NASA’s history, an unexpected and remarkable achievement considering the initial scope of their mission.

As of Friday, Wilmore and Williams have accumulated 281 days at the International Space Station. Both seasoned astronauts, embarking on their third journey to orbit, were handpicked to pilot the Boeing Starliner on its inaugural crewed spaceflight in June.

Boeing had been diligently developing the Starliner spacecraft with the intention of it joining SpaceX’s Dragon as a second operational vehicle for NASA under the agency’s commercial crew program. This program empowers NASA to contract with private companies for the launch and transportation of astronauts and cargo to orbit, freeing up the space agency to concentrate on its Artemis lunar program and other ambitious deep space missions, including future crewed expeditions to Mars.

However, the Boeing Starliner encountered a series of challenges upon reaching the space station, including helium leaks and propulsion issues. After extensive deliberation, NASA officials made the decision to return the Starliner to Earth in September without Wilmore and Williams.

Subsequently, NASA and SpaceX launched the Crew-9 mission later that same month, carrying two astronauts instead of the originally planned four. This strategic adjustment reserved two seats on a Dragon spacecraft specifically for Wilmore and Williams to facilitate their eventual return journey. The Starliner crew members have also integrated into the station’s Expedition 72, under the command of Williams.

If the Crew-9 team departs as scheduled, Wilmore and Williams will conclude their extended stay with an impressive 286 consecutive days in orbit. This duration falls just short of NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson’s remarkable 289-day mission, which spanned from November 2016 to September 2017.

Whitson stands among a select group of only five NASA astronauts who have ever surpassed Wilmore and Williams in terms of consecutive days spent in orbit.

Astronaut Frank Rubio etched his name into the annals of space exploration history in September 2023 when his extraordinary 371 days in orbit established him as the American record holder for the longest single spaceflight.

Notably, Rubio, then 47, never anticipated breaking this record when he and two cosmonauts embarked on their mission from a site in Kazakhstan on Sept. 21, 2022. The initial plan called for Rubio and his crewmates to return to Earth the following March, after a mere six months in space.

Similar to the Starliner crew, unforeseen complications with the capsule intended to transport them back to Earth led to the unexpected extension of their mission.

When the Russian Soyuz capsule suffered a coolant leak in 2022, caused by a collision with a piece of space debris, a replacement spacecraft was swiftly dispatched to the orbital outpost. This ensured that the stranded spacefarers could safely return to Earth. Rubio’s extended sojourn in space concluded on Sept. 27, when the Army doctor and helicopter pilot landed alongside the Russian cosmonauts in a remote region of Kazakhstan, aboard the replacement Soyuz capsule that had reached them just two weeks prior.

Astronaut missions aboard the International Space Station typically last around six months, placing Wilmore and Williams among a rare cohort of spacefarers, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Designed and operated through a collaborative global partnership of space agencies, the International Space Station has served as a continuous home for crews of astronauts, cosmonauts, and other space professionals since November 2000, NASA reports. While residing at the station, these individuals dedicate their time to conducting a wide range of scientific experiments and performing essential maintenance and upgrades to ensure the station’s continued operation.

Currently, seven spacefarers reside at the station, including four Americans and three Russians.

Prior to the departure of Starliner astronauts Wilmore and Williams with Crew-9, they must await the arrival of their successors from the Crew-10 mission.

The Crew-10 mission, a joint endeavor between NASA and SpaceX, was initially scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday night. However, the launch was aborted due to a problem with the launchpad’s ground system and has been rescheduled for Friday night.

If the rescheduled launch proceeds successfully, a Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, could arrive at the station on Saturday night.

Upon docking, Ayers, McClain, Onishi, and Peskov will spend several days acclimating to their new environment and familiarizing themselves with the ongoing work during a handover period.

Williams, Wilmore, and the remainder of Crew-9 – NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov – are then slated to depart no earlier than Wednesday, March 19, for a splashdown landing off the Florida coast, finally bringing to a close the Starliner mission.