Astronauts Butch Willmore and Suni Williams are preparing to return to Earth as early as Tuesday.
The two have been on the International Space Station since June. Their mission was scheduled to continue a week after Boeing's first astronaut flight launch, but after the issue forced NASA, they were stuck in space. Boeing Star Liner The sky behind.
Wilmore, Williams, Crew 9 Commander Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Alexander Golbunov were originally scheduled to fly off the Florida coast on Wednesday. Right now, due to unfavourable weather, NASA is targeting undocking from the space station with a splashdown just before 6pm on Tuesday at 1:05am (the same day).
“The updated return targets continue to allow members of the space station crew to spend time completing their handover obligations while still providing operational flexibility ahead of the whimsical weather conditions expected later in the week,” NASA said in a statement.
“Alien” Meet: ISS Crew Members joke when SpaceX Team arrives
The image, made from a video from NASA, shows astronauts greeting each other after the SpaceX capsule was docked to the International Space Station on Sunday, March 16, 2025. From left to bottom row: Butch Wilmore, Onysia Alpine, Anne McLain, Kirill Peskov, Nicole Ayers, Don Pettitt. (NASA)
The Crew 9 Media Conference is scheduled to be held at 7:30pm upon return.
Early Sunday morning, crew 10 arrived at the space station and brought the total number of astronauts to 11 on board.
Russian astronaut Ivan Wagner had the opportunity to welcome them while wearing an alien mask in what NASA spokesman called a “easy moment.”
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Russian astronaut Ivan Vagner wears an alien mask at the port when Crew 10 arrived at the International Space Station on March 16, 2025. (NASA/SPACEX)
“It was a great day. It was great to see my friends arrive,” Williams told Mission Control.
Four new arrivals, NASA astronauts Anne McLain and Nicole Ayers, Japanese astronauts onishi and Russian astronaut Kiril Peskov, will be staying at the station for about six months.
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In this photo provided by NASA, astronauts Butchwillmore and Snee Williams will be riding on the International Space Station on August 9, 2024 to inspect safety hardware. (NASA)
Stuck astronauts are doing scientific research and performing routine maintenance.
Williams told reporters earlier this month that he looks forward to going home to meet his family and two dogs.
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“It was a roller coaster for them, but perhaps a little more than we do,” she said.
Fox News' Jonathan Cerry, Landon Mion and Reuters contributed to the report.
