Sunita Williams’ homecoming: SpaceX Crew-9 prepares for re-entry to Earth aboard Dragon

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since last September, may return to Earth earlier than expected aboard the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft.

Recently, Crew-9 members participated in a refresher session to prepare for their return to Earth.

They practiced reentry procedures on a computer to ensure they were ready for a safe descent aboard the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft, India Today reported.

The space agency had initially planned their return for late March or April, but on February 11, NASA announced that SpaceX would switch capsules for upcoming astronaut flights, allowing Wilmore and Williams to come home by mid-March instead. This adjustment will shorten their extended stay at the ISS by at least a couple of weeks, as they marked eight months in space last week.

With additional work still needed for the new capsule, NASA has chosen to send the next crew aboard an older capsule, now scheduled for liftoff on March 12, the Associated Press reported.

The report added that Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, acknowledged the complexities of space travel, saying, “Human spaceflight is full of unexpected challenges.”

According to Space.com, the arrival schedule for Crew-9's Dragon capsule was adjusted following Starliner’s delayed departure. Originally set to carry four astronauts, Crew-9 instead launched with only two—NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—leaving two open seats for Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on the return journey.

Crew-9 lifted off on September 28, and with Hague and Gorbunov joining the International Space Station (ISS), the Crew-8 astronauts, who had been on a six-month rotation, were set to return aboard their own Crew Dragon. Similarly, Crew-9 will complete its mission and return once Crew-10 arrives to relieve them.

Return preponed

NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams were originally set to return in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule after what was meant to be a weeklong flight demonstration. However, due to significant issues encountered during the capsule’s journey to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA opted to bring it back empty and reassigned the astronauts to SpaceX.

Further delays arose when SpaceX postponed the launch of their replacements, as the new capsule required additional preparations, extending Wilmore and Williams’ stay even further.

The capsule now assigned to their return was initially meant for a private spaceflight arranged by Axiom Space, a Houston-based company. This mission, carrying astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India, has been pushed to a later date, though it may still launch this spring.

NASA typically ensures that a new crew arrives before sending the current one home. The upcoming crew includes two NASA astronauts, one from Japan and one from Russia. They will replace Wilmore, Williams, and two others who have been on the ISS since September.

This latest adjustment in NASA’s plans comes two weeks after the agency stated it was working “expeditiously” to bring Wilmore and Williams back. The decision was announced just a day after former President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk pledged to accelerate their return.

The switch in capsules for upcoming flights is part of NASA and SpaceX’s effort to end Wilmore and Williams’ prolonged stay, which hit the eight-month mark last week.

(With inputs from Associated Press)