NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally on their way home after a long and unexpected stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their return is being facilitated by SpaceX, the private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk.
Wilmore and Williams launched from Cape Canaveral on June 5 of last year aboard a Boeing Starliner capsule. What was supposed to be a short mission turned into a much longer ordeal due to several technical problems, including helium leaks and thruster failures. As a result, the astronauts had to remain on the ISS longer than anticipated. The Boeing spacecraft that was supposed to bring them back returned to Earth empty in September.
In January, former President Donald Trump reached out to Elon Musk for help in rescuing the astronauts, who had been waiting for months. Trump expressed his concern on social media, stating that the astronauts had been "virtually abandoned" in space and wished Musk luck with the mission.
SpaceX’s initial attempt to launch a rescue mission faced a setback due to a hydraulic issue, but the company successfully launched a new crew on March 14. This mission carried four astronauts to the ISS, where they will stay for six months. There will be some overlap between the new crew and Wilmore and Williams before the two astronauts make their return.
Williams recently shared her gratitude for the support they have received during their time in space and expressed excitement about coming home. It is expected that Wilmore and Williams will splash down back on Earth sometime next week, ending their extended mission in space.