Stuck NASA Astronauts returning to the Earth on Spacex capsules: What to know Space News

The two Astronauts NASA are on the ground after you spend nine months stranded in space.

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore go to the International Space Station (ISS) early Tuesday morning and is expected to descend from the coast of Florida after traveling 17 hours. Boeing’s Starliner, their original return spaceship, was is considered uncertain For the way home, forcing the astronauts to stay in space much longer than planned.

Here are everything you need to know about their expanded stay and long awareness return:

Who are the two astronauts who are stuck in space?

Two astronauts stranded on board The International Space Station (ISS) are 59-year-old Sunnice “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch Wilmore, 62, both space travelers trained veteran NASA.

Williams, the current commander of the ISS and a retired American sailor officer, joined our 1998. years. He spent 322 days in space over her career and finished nine spaces. She previously wrote down for the most important universe of the female astronaut, until 2017. when the title went to Peggy Whitson, which ended 10.

Wilmore flew into space for the first time in 2009. at the Band of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Before the Mission to Boeing Starliner, he recorded 178 days in space. He served as a flight engineer and commander on previous ISS missions, leading the research of plants in space, the effects of microgramavions on the human body and changes in the earth.

In the Boeing mission, Wilmore served as commander and Williams was a pilot.

When and how do they return to the ground?

Spacex Crew Dragon Nose Wilmore and Williams Unlocked with ISS at 1.05AM ET (05:05 GMT) on Tuesday. It is expected to be sprayed in the Atlantic Ocean just before 18:00 ET (22:00 GMT).

Late on Monday evening, the process for Williams and Wilmore for the return began. The closure closure preparations began at 22:45 and (02:45 GMT).

NASA is the oversees of going and returning astronauts.

They return to the Spacex Crew Dragon Capsule ship, which was connected to the Station from September 2024. years. This capsule originally adopted NASA astronaut Nick Haag and Russian Astronaut Alexander Gorbunov to ISS, with two empty seats left to return Wilmore and Williams.

Four could not return to the same capsule until an additional crew reaches no four more astronauts to replace them.

That happened now. CREW-10, which agreed on ISS on Sunday at 12:04 and (04:04 GMT, consists of NASA Astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onhishi and Russian astronaut Kirill sand. They launched from the Kennedy Space Center Center in Florida, on Friday, Friday.

Why did they get stuck?

Williams and Wilmore are stuck after Technical issues With a space ship, she meant to bring them home.

They traveled in the ISS on the CST-100 Star-100 Boeing, as part of the first rinse flight. The mission is, under the NASA program for a commercial crew team, intended for the development of a private spacecraft to transport the astronauts to and from the station. Outsourcing the low-earth orbit missions, NASA said aimed at focusing on a deep investigation of space, including artemis mission to the moon and future human missions on Mars.

During the 25-hour flight to ISS, Starliner experienced the leak of helium and a defective thruster, which helps control and control the reestrupt. When he arrived 6. June, four of the 28 thrusts failed, a delaying dock with a station.

Although engineers renovated four of five failed thrusters, NASA considered a space ship too risky for human travel and sent it blankLeaving Williams and Wilmore stranded on ISS.

In August 2024. Years, NASA decided to bring They return them to a space vehicle. The CREW Dragon-9, which was presented on 29. September 2024. year, has since been connected to no. But bringing home earlier, he would leave only one American astronaut at the space station, limiting research and urgent reactions.

Now, with their replacement members who come to the CREW-10, Williams and Wilmore are finally home.

How long did the two astronauts stuck in space?

Williams and Wilmore were in the area of ​​5. June 2024. year, which means they will spend more than nine months in the orbit at the time of return.

After the explosion from the Cape Canaveral, Florida, in June were originally planned to stay in space for only eight days.

The standard rotation of the ISS astronaut is about six months.

How have they survived in space for so long?

Despite the unexpected expansion of his stay, Williams and Wilmore remained in good health, and even performed by spacewalk together in January.

Life on board ISS monitors a structured routine with exercise, work and free time. This includes regular routines and on the run and resistance machine to maintain the power of bones and muscles.

During the year, several space agencies and private companies have also scheduled mission to redirect a spaceship with food, water and oxygen, regularly complementing the freight mission.

Through Christmas, the two even enjoyed the ceremonial dinner, which included smoked oysters, crabs, a duck foie gras, cranberry sauce, athletes lobster and smoked salmon in London.

Williams and Wilmore were also able to maintain contact with their families by email and phone.

In the interview with Lester Holt at the NBC night news in November, Williams said that she and Wilmore “felt good, working, eaten right.”

“And we’re having a lot of fun,” she added. “People who take care of us, really don’t care about us … We’re a happy crew up.”

Are astronauts stuck in space before?

Williams and Wilmore are not the first astronauts that will face an extended stay in space due to unforeseen circumstances. There were previous cases in which the astronauts were to remain in orbit longer than planned due to technical problems or geopolitical events.

The longest one consideration of the American Astronaut was Frank Rubiuska 371-day mission on board, from 2022. until 2023. year, extended due to problems with the Sosizna spacecraft that brought him to orbit. In the end he returned to another Soyuz capsule.

1991. Soviet astronaut Sergej Krikalev stranded on board now Degradation of the Space Station Mir 311 days due to the decay of the Soviet Union.

The political restlessness and lack of funding postponed his return, forcing him to stay in orbit for far longer than planned. When he finally landed in March 1992. years, he returned not to the Soviet Union, but in New Marigand Russia.