NASA confirmed that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will remain on the International Space Station (ISS) until at least March 19. Their return has been repeatedly delayed due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

Mission Extended Due to Spacecraft Malfunction

Originally, Williams and Wilmore launched in June 2024 for an eight-day mission. However, Starliner’s technical failures forced them to stay much longer than expected. As a result, their mission has now stretched to nine months.

Crew-10 Set to Launch on March 14

To replace them, NASA plans to send SpaceX Crew-10. The mission will launch from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on March 14 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. The new team includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA’s Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov. They will take over from Williams, Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Aleksandr Gorbunov.

Delays Caused by Weather and Technical Issues

Initially, NASA planned an earlier launch for Crew-10. However, due to strong winds and heavy rain, the agency had to postpone the mission. Additionally, SpaceX engineers had to fix a hydraulic system issue with the Falcon 9 rocket’s clamp arm at Launch Complex 39A.

Fortunately, weather conditions now appear highly favorable, with a 95% chance of success for the March 14 launch. However, if the mission is pushed to March 15 or 16, the probability of bad weather increases to 50-60%.

Williams Will Return Only After Crew-10 Arrives

Once Crew-10 docks at the ISS on March 15, they will take a few days to adjust. Meanwhile, Crew-9 will begin the process of handing over operations. Therefore, NASA confirmed that Williams and Wilmore will not return to Earth before March 19.

NASA Officials Praise Team Efforts

Despite the delays, NASA officials remain confident in their mission teams. Steve Stich, manager of the Commercial Crew Program, applauded their efforts, stating: “I am extremely proud of our NASA and SpaceX ground engineers and joint operations teams in quickly identifying and resolving issues. Their commitment to both excellence and safety is a true testament to the strength of this integrated team.”

For now, NASA continues to monitor the situation while ensuring a safe return for Williams and Wilmore.