Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore finally returning to Earth

The American space agency, NASA, finally revealed the confirmed return journey of the ‘stranded astronauts’, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, from Space to Earth

Washington: The American space agency, NASA, finally revealed the confirmed return journey of the ‘stranded astronauts’, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, from Space to Earth.

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are currently stuck onboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The two had embarked to space onboard Starliner spacecraft on June 05, 2024. As per the original schedule, their return journey to Earth was on June 14, 2024. They however got stuck in the space due to some technical reasons, completing six-month stay in space in December last, and around nine months now.

Relief Crew

NASA officials now confirmed that the two stranded astronauts would return to Earth on March 16, 2025, saying the U.S. space agency has cleared a relief crew to launch on SpaceX Dragon next week for their return.

The Starliner spacecraft returned without a crew in September last year. However, weeks later, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were launched on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission with two seats aboard their Dragon spacecraft reserved for the stranded astronauts. Now all four will return to Earth on March 16, NASA said.

NASA had earlier reported that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore - known as the stuck astronauts, will return to Earth in February 2025.

NASA however again changed their return journey saying the duo will have to remain in space for another month and could return to Earth only in March 2025.

The case of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore had earlier also sparked a political debate after SpaceX chief Elon Musk accused former U.S. President Joe Biden of deliberately delaying the return journey of the two astronauts.

Meanwhile, SpaceX and NASA joint crew Monday completed the rehearsal of the launch day ahead of the ISS rescue mission for stranded astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.

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