NASA astronauts await 2025 return on SpaceX’s Crew-9
- Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are currently aboard the ISS, having spent over 18 weeks in space.
- Their extended stay comes after adjustments were made to crew assignments following issues with the Boeing Starliner.
- They are involved in ongoing operations and await their scheduled return aboard Crew-9 in February 2025.
In the context of the International Space Station (ISS) operations, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are currently stationed there but are awaiting a delayed return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew-9 mission, slated for February 2025. Initially intending for their stay to last just a week, Williams and Wilmore's mission requirements led to an adjustment in crew assignments, forcing the replacement of other astronauts, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, to accommodate them for the return trip after the Starliner's scheduling issues. With more than 18 weeks spent aboard the ISS, they find themselves performing various responsibilities crucial to ongoing missions, including maneuvering their Crew-9 capsule. Notably, astronauts often experience extended stays due to various unforeseen factors such as logistical adjustments and weather conditions. The upcoming months will focus on conducting experiments and maintaining the station's operations as they await their eventual return home.