Stranded Astronauts Prepare for Long-Awaited Return to Earth

Two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are finally preparing to return to Earth on Tuesday after an unexpectedly extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally intended to last only a week, their mission stretched months longer due to complications with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which had to return empty to Earth.

The space veterans, along with Crew-9 Commander Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, were initially slated to splash down off the coast of Florida on Wednesday. However, NASA shifted the timeline to avoid unfavorable weather conditions, now aiming for undocking at 1:05 a.m. ET Tuesday and a splashdown just before 6 p.m. the same day.

"The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected later in the week," NASA stated. A Crew-9 press conference is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. following their return.

Meanwhile, the ISS saw the arrival of Crew-10 early Sunday morning, boosting the astronaut count aboard the station to 11. In one lighthearted moment, Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner humorously welcomed the newcomers while wearing an alien mask, much to the amusement of the crew. NASA described the gesture as a playful icebreaker.

"It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive," commented Williams to Mission Control after the arrival of the four new astronauts: NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan's Takuya Onishi, and Russia's Kirill Peskov. The fresh arrivals are set to stay aboard the ISS for approximately six months.

In their extended time aboard, Wilmore and Williams have kept busy with scientific research and general maintenance tasks. But the prolonged mission hasn’t been easy on everyone. "It's been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us," Williams remarked, referring to her family and, sweetly, her two dogs, who she’s eager to reunite with back on Earth.

After months of waiting, the return of these astronauts is not just an operational milestone but also a personal one for the crew and their loved ones back home. It’s about time they get to swap zero-gravity for solid ground.