Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were originally scheduled to return to Earth in June after a week-long mission aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. However, repeated helium leaks and other technical issues forced NASA to extend their stay at the International Space Station for months. Williams, an Indian-origin astronaut, will now return home aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in 2025, along with two other crew members from the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The Starliner is expected to depart from the space station in early September, re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere autonomously.
Despite the unexpected delays, NASA has confirmed that Williams and Wilmore will continue their work as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew until February 2025. While there have been concerns about the potential health effects of a longer-than-anticipated stay in space, Williams’s family remains calm and confident in her abilities.
Bonnie Pandya, Williams’s mother, expressed her unwavering trust in her daughter’s experience and expertise as a seasoned astronaut, stating in an interview with NawsNation, “I don’t give her any advice. She knows what to do. She is a seasoned astronaut. She’s been up for over 400 days in space.”
Williams herself has reassured her mother not to worry, telling her in a recent phone call, “Everything will be fine.”
Michael, Williams’s husband, has also addressed the delays, telling the Wall Street Journal, “That’s her happy place.”
While astronauts typically rotate on and off the space station every six months, the extended stay for Williams and Wilmore has presented unique challenges. In addition to their scientific research and maintenance duties, they have continued to engage in public outreach, conducting live video question-and-answer sessions with students.
