Stranded NASA Astronauts Joyfully Welcome Rescue Crew

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, paving the way for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to finally return home after more than nine months in space.

The Crew-10 mission, which launched from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on Friday evening, reached the ISS approximately 29 hours later. Aboard the spacecraft were NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

As they entered the station, a live stream captured the heartwarming moment when the new arrivals embraced the Expedition 72 crew, including Wilmore and Williams, who had remained in space unexpectedly since June 2024.

Originally planned as an eight-day mission, Wilmore and Williams’ stay on the ISS stretched far longer due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. NASA and Boeing detected helium leaks and thruster malfunctions as Starliner neared the station. To minimize risks and collect crucial data, officials chose to return the spacecraft to Earth without a crew.

Starliner Returns Safely as Wilmore and Williams Continue Critical ISS Work

In September, Starliner safely returned, landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams remained on the ISS, assisting with station research, maintenance, and additional Starliner system testing.

Now, after months of waiting, the two astronauts are set to return to Earth no earlier than Wednesday, March 19, following a brief handover period with the newly arrived Crew-10 members. They will be accompanied by American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who joined the ISS crew in September.

While Wilmore and Williams prepare for their long-awaited journey home, the Crew-10 astronauts will spend the next six months conducting scientific research and technology testing to support future space missions.

Read Original Article: Science Alert

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