NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, returned to Earth from ISS on 18 March, 2025, on SpaceX capsule.
They were launched nine months earlier on a Starliner capsule for an eight-day stay.
STARLINER RETURNED UNCREWED FROM ISS
Boeing Starliner successfully returned to Earth uncrewed on 7 September, 2024.
NASA and Boeing took the decision after the spacecraft suffered Helium leaks and malfunction of five of its 27 thrusters.
It had a successful first crewed test flight with two astronauts, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, to the ISS after several delays on 5 June, 2024.
They were supposed to return after eight days.
NASA, on “abundance of caution,” decided to return the spacecraft to Earth uncrewed.
Butch and Suni will hang on in the ISS till February, 2025, and return with a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to the ISS.
NASA made the announcement on 24 August, 2024.
This meant that both astronauts will be stuck in space for six more months.
Butch and Suni have each been to space two times before.
As veterans, they will keep busy by assisting the other astronauts in the ISS with scientific experiments.
They seem mentally prepared, and they also have access to phone and video calls and email from family and friends from Earth.
They have enough food, water and other essential items in ISS.
