NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded on the International Space Station for over 270 days instead of their planned 8-day mission.
By Aniket Chakraborty
Mar 10, 2025
Technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, including helium leaks and propulsion failures, made it too risky for their return journey.
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Williams revealed the hardest part wasn't the physical challenges but the uncertainty her family faced about when she would return home.
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"It's been a rollercoaster for them - probably more so than for us," Williams said about the emotional toll on her loved ones during the extended mission.
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The stranded astronauts will finally return to Earth in mid-March aboard Elon Musk's SpaceX Crew-9 return flight.
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Musk claimed the astronauts were being left in space "for political reasons," a sentiment echoed by President Donald Trump.
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Williams gracefully avoided political controversies, stating "We know what we've lived up here" and expressing respect for everyone working to bring them home.
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Despite the ordeal, Williams admitted she'll miss life in space, saying "It's been amazing to see how it's evolved over the years."
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Wilmore claimed he and Williams were kept "in the dark with no information whatsoever" about the Biden administration's efforts to bring them back.
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The Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth empty in September 2024, leaving the astronauts without their original ride home.