(BBC News) After an epic nine months in space, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally getting ready to head home.
Their stay on the International Space Station (ISS) was supposed to last eight days, but their mission was dramatically extended after the spacecraft on which they arrived suffered technical problems.
The pair are travelling back to Earth in a SpaceX capsule along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
They are expected to undock from the ISS at 05:05 GMT (01:05 EDT) on Tuesday and splash down off the coast of Florida later that day at 21:57 GMT (17:57 EDT) .
Their landing time, however, could change if the weather conditions are not good enough.
It will mark the end of a mission that has grabbed the world’s attention, however the final stages of their journey won’t be easy.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule will make a fast and fiery re-entry through the Earth’s atmosphere, enduring temperatures of up to 1600C.
As it rapidly slows, the astronauts will experience significant g-forces, about four times the Earth’s gravity.
Finally, four large parachutes will open, allowing the craft to land gently in the ocean.
Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, said the thrilling ride would be worth it.
“They’re experienced astronauts but they will feel fantastic to be back on Earth. The fresh air is the first thing that gets you,” she told BBC News.
The saga of Butch and Suni began in June 2024. They were taking part in the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, developed by aerospace company Boeing.
But the capsule suffered several technical problems during its journey to the space station, and it was deemed too risky to take the astronauts home.
Starliner returned safely to Earth empty in early September, but it meant the pair needed a new ride for their return.
So NASA opted for the next scheduled flight: a SpaceX capsule that arrived at the ISS in late September.
It flew with two astronauts instead of four, leaving two seats spare for Butch and Suni’s return. The only catch was this had a planned six-month mission, extending the astronauts stay until now.
The arrival of a replacement crew on Sunday was the final step needed for Butch and Suni’s return – and after a short handover with the new team, their mission is now at an end.
The NASA pair have embraced their longer than expected stay in space.
They have carried out an array of experiments on board the orbiting lab and conducted spacewalks, with Suni breaking the record for the woman who has spent the most hours outside of the space station.
And despite the astronauts being described as “stranded”, they never really were.
Throughout their mission, there have always been spacecraft attached to the space station to get them – and the rest of those onboard – home if there was an emergency.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4k0d55q24o
