After spending more than nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore—often referred to as the stranded astronauts’—are finally set to return to Earth. NASA has confirmed that the duo will depart the ISS on March 16 aboard a SpaceX spacecraft, which is already docked at the station. Their return will coincide with the arrival of a new crew that will replace them on the ISS.
Williams and Wilmore have been stationed at the ISS since June 6, far exceeding their original mission timeline. According to NASA, they have remained active throughout their extended stay, conducting scientific research, experiments, and even gardening.
Crew-10’s mission to bring them back
The return of Williams and Wilmore will be facilitated by NASA’s Crew-10 mission, led by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The mission is scheduled to launch on March 12, with its spacecraft docking at the ISS on March 13.
For Williams, this extended mission marks yet another milestone in her distinguished career. Originally planned to last just eight days, her stay will have spanned over 600 days in space across three different missions.
Sunita Williams’ record-breaking achievements in space
NASA has praised Williams’ contributions to space research, confirming that she has completed 900 hours of research during her time on the ISS. At 59 years old, she holds a remarkable record, having conducted 62 hours and nine minutes of spacewalks—the most by any female astronaut in NASA’s history.
During her mission, Williams was actively involved in maintaining the ISS, including cleaning, replacing old instruments, and assisting with scientific experiments. Alongside astronaut Nick Hague, the duo completed over 900 hours of research spanning 150 different scientific experiments.
Williams also prioritized physical fitness in space, undergoing rigorous training and participating in long-duration spacewalks, with her most recent one taking place on January 30.
Connecting with Earth while in orbit
Despite the challenges of prolonged space travel, Williams remained connected with Earth. She sent Diwali, Christmas, and New Year greetings to her family and even held a virtual session with students from a school named after her.
One of her most intriguing experiments involved growing lettuce plants in microgravity. NASA highlighted this research, noting that it could help scientists understand how less-than-ideal conditions affect plant growth and contribute to the development of sustainable food production systems for future space missions.
As Williams and Wilmore prepare to conclude their extended stay in space, their return will mark the end of a historic mission—one filled with scientific breakthroughs, space exploration milestones, and record-setting achievements.