NASA has expedited the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station, switching capsules to bring them back in mid-March. This decision comes after a series of delays and setbacks for the original Boeing Starliner capsule and SpaceX's new capsule.
NASA 's plans for astronaut rotations at the International Space Station have taken another unexpected turn, leading to an earlier-than-anticipated return for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. The space agency announced Tuesday that SpaceX will switch capsules for upcoming astronaut flights, bringing Wilmore and Williams back to Earth in mid-March instead of late March or April.
This decision trims at least a couple of weeks off their extended stay at the space station, which recently surpassed the eight-month mark. The original plan involved Wilmore and Williams returning in June aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule after a week-long flight demonstration. However, the Starliner encountered significant difficulties reaching the space station, prompting NASA to bring it back empty. This mishap led to the reassignment of Wilmore and Williams to SpaceX. Further complications arose when SpaceX delayed the launch of their replacements on a brand new capsule that required additional preparation, extending Wilmore and Williams' mission even longer. With more work anticipated for the new capsule, NASA opted for its next crew to fly aboard an older capsule, targeting a liftoff on March 12. This older capsule was initially designated for a private crew arranged by Axiom Space, a Houston-based company, featuring astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India. The private flight has been postponed and is expected to launch later this spring. NASA prefers to have a new crew arrive before sending the departing crew back to Earth. In this instance, Wilmore, Williams, and two other astronauts who have been at the space station since September will be brought back. The incoming crew comprises two NASA astronauts, one from Japan, and one from Russia. This latest shift in NASA's plans follows two weeks after the agency stated that it was working diligently to bring back Wilmore and Williams as soon as possible. Just the day before, President Biden had expressed his support for the space agency's efforts to ensure the safe return of the astronauts
NASA Spacex International Space Station Astronauts Capsule Switch
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