NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth after spending nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). However, their departure will not happen until their replacements arrive next week.
Ahead of their return, Williams and Wilmore spoke at a press conference. Williams responded to recent comments by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who suggested that the ISS should be retired earlier than its planned end-of-service in 2030. She disagreed, emphasizing the station's continued scientific contributions.
"This place is ticking. It's just really amazing, so I would say we're actually in our prime right now," Williams said. "I would think that right now is probably not the right time to say quit, call it quits."
Williams Excited to See Her Dogs After Long Stay
Williams shared her eagerness to reunite with her Labrador retrievers once she returns home. She said the hardest part of the extended stay was waiting to see family again.
"It's been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us," she said. Despite the delay, she remained positive. "We're just doing what we do every day, and every day is interesting because we're up in space, and it's a lot of fun."
Starliner Issues Delayed Their Return
Williams and Wilmore launched last June on Boeing's new Starliner capsule, which was making its first crewed flight after years of delays. They were initially scheduled to stay for about a week. However, NASA later determined that the Starliner had too many technical problems to safely transport people back to Earth. It was sent back empty, leaving the astronauts stranded on the ISS.
NASA then needed more time to complete another SpaceX capsule to bring their replacements. The agency announced last month that the new crew's launch is now set for March 12. They will travel in a used SpaceX spacecraft.
Once the new crew arrives, they will stay on the ISS with Williams and Wilmore for nearly a week before the returning astronauts leave with NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov.
Their long-awaited return will mark the end of an unexpected nine-month mission.
