NASA Astronauts Set to Return after 9-Month Stranded ISS Saga

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are slated to return to Earth after nine months stranded in space. Their return became possible thanks to SpaceX's Crew Dragon mission. They expressed gratitude to SpaceX's Elon Musk and former US President Donald Trump for their efforts in facilitating their homecoming.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are poised to end their unexpected extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and return to Earth after being stranded in space for over nine months. The duo expressed their gratitude towards SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former US President Donald Trump for their roles in expediting their return.

Originally slated for a brief week-long mission, the astronauts ended up spending an unforeseen extended tenure on the ISS. The situation unfolded after Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which transported them to the ISS, encountered technical difficulties including 'helium leaks' and 'issues with spacecraft reaction control thrusters'. Consequently, the spacecraft returned unmanned to Earth, leaving them stranded.

The resolution is now underway as Williams and Wilmore prepare to journey back aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. NASA has announced live coverage of their return journey, which is scheduled to take place following favorable weather conditions off Florida's coast. Their return is aligned with a Crew-9 mission schedule, which includes docking preparations and splashdown arrangements.

(With inputs from agencies.)