NASA's Sunita Williams is back! Check the timeline of a 9-day space mission that turned into a 9-month nightmare

NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams have concluded a mission that extended far beyond its original timeline. Initially planned as a short-duration test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, the mission evolved into a nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical challenges. The following timeline outlines key events in the mission’s progression. June 5, 2024: Starliner Launches The Starliner spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The mission, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT), aimed to evaluate Starliner’s capabilities before it could be certified for routine astronaut transport. June 6, 2024: Docking Delayed Due to Thruster Malfunctions Starliner encountered issues with its reaction-control system (RCS) thrusters while approaching the ISS. Five of the 28 thrusters failed, preventing an initial docking attempt. The mission team restored functionality to four of the five thrusters, allowing Starliner to dock successfully on its second attempt. June 18, 2024: Return Delayed Due to Further Issues NASA postponed Starliner’s return to Earth, originally scheduled for June 26, to assess and address technical issues, including helium leaks in the propulsion system. The decision extended Wilmore and Williams’ stay on the ISS beyond the initial 10-day plan. July 2, 2024: NASA Extends Mission Beyond 45-Day Limit The mission’s duration was officially extended past the originally planned 45-day maximum. NASA determined that the spacecraft’s performance in orbit warranted further analysis before authorising a return. August 24, 2024: NASA Confirms Starliner Will Return Uncrewed NASA and Boeing announced that Starliner would return to Earth without astronauts. Wilmore and Williams would remain on the ISS until alternative return arrangements could be made, with Crew-9’s SpaceX Dragon capsule designated for their return. August 30, 2024: Crew-9 Adjustments to Accommodate Starliner Crew NASA adjusted Crew-9’s manifest, removing two astronauts—Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson—to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return flight. September 7, 2024: Starliner Returns Uncrewed Starliner successfully landed at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, without astronauts on board. NASA continued its assessment of the vehicle’s technical issues. September 22, 2024: Sunita Williams Takes Command of ISS Following the departure of Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Williams assumed command of the ISS. She continued overseeing operations while awaiting her return to Earth. September 28, 2024: Crew-9 Launches to ISS A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Crew-9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission carried two astronauts—Nick Hague (NASA) and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos)—while reserving two seats on the Crew Dragon spacecraft for Wilmore and Williams’ eventual return. November 12, 2024: Williams Addresses Health Concerns Speculation regarding Williams’ health due to the prolonged mission was dismissed in an interview from the ISS. She confirmed that she had maintained her physical fitness and remained in stable condition. December 17, 2024: NASA Delays Return to March 2025 NASA announced that Crew-9 would remain on the ISS until Crew-10’s arrival. Crew-10’s launch was postponed due to issues with its new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. January 30, 2025: Williams Sets Spacewalk Record Williams conducted a 5.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) alongside Wilmore, setting a record for the most cumulative EVA time by a female astronaut. February 11, 2025: NASA Moves Up Return Timeline NASA opted to use a flight-proven Dragon capsule, Endurance, for Crew-10 rather than wait for a new spacecraft. This adjustment allowed Crew-10 to launch in mid-March, enabling Crew-9’s earlier-than-expected return. March 14, 2025: Crew-10 Launches to ISS The Crew-10 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, arriving at the ISS the following day, paving the way for Crew-9’s departure. March 18, 2025: Wilmore and Williams Return to Earth Crew-9’s Dragon capsule, Freedom, undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT and was scheduled to splash down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. EDT, marking the conclusion of a mission that significantly exceeded its original duration.

NASA's Sunita Williams is back! Check the timeline of a 9-day space mission that turned into a 9-month nightmare

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