NASA Plans Early Return for Astronauts Stuck on ISS Following Spacecraft Issues

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NASA announced that two American astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, may return to Earth earlier than anticipated after being stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) for over eight months due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, their return was delayed following propulsion problems that led NASA to plan a rescue mission with SpaceX (Reuters).

According to NASA, the Crew-10 mission is now set to launch on March 12, 2025, depending on mission readiness, allowing Wilmore and Williams to finally return home. The redesign of the mission plan will utilize a previously flown Dragon spacecraft called Endurance instead of a new craft, reducing preparation time.

Both astronauts reported high spirits despite their extended stay, expressing they had ample supplies and were enjoying their time aboard the station. Notably, their prolonged mission has not broken Frank Rubio's record of 371 days in space, achieved last year after an unforeseen return delay (AFP).

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