The pair were scheduled to participate in the ISS for just eight days, but due to technical issues with the experimental spacecraft, they were there for over nine months.
The astronauts are scheduled to begin their journey back to Earth later this week. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program, said he was delighted with prospects.
“Butch and Suni have done a great job and we are excited to get them back,” he said.
The astronauts will be released by two astronauts from Russia, Japan and the United States, along with ISS workmates Nick Hague of NASA and Aleksandr Gorbunov, astronaut of Roscosmos.
There will be a two-day handover, after which the old crew will begin their journey to Earth. However, according to ISS program manager Dana Weigel, there could be more delays as the conditions on Earth are waiting for them to be appropriate for a safe re-entry of the returned capsule.
“Weather has to work together all the time, so if that’s not good, we’ll take the time,” she told reporters.
Weigel explained that astronauts began preparing for the handover last week.
“Butch rang a ritual bell when Suni handed the command to astronaut Alexei O’Tinin,” she said.
Astronauts consistently say they are happy to ride on the space station, and Suni Williams describes it as her “happy place.” However, Dr. Simeon Barber of Open University told BBC News that there was likely a personal cost.
“When you’re sent on a business trip that’s supposed to last a week, you don’t expect it to take the best part of the year,” he said.
“This extension in the universe would have been a period of upheaval as it was going back home and it was going on about how they would have missed out.”
Butch and Suni arrived at the ISS in the beginning of June 2024 to test an experimental spacecraft called Starliner. It was built by SpaceX rival Aerospace Firm Boeing.
This mission has been delayed several years due to technical issues in the development of the spacecraft, and was subject to issues during launch and docking to the ISS. This included some issues with Starliner thrusters. This includes what is needed to slow the spacecraft to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, as well as helium gas leaks in the propulsion system.
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