Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Edge Closer to Earth as NASA Crew Arrives For Their Rescue

As the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying four astronauts successfully docked at the International Space Station on Sunday, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's homecoming, after being stranded in space for nine months, is one step closer. The Crew-10 mission arrived at the station at around 9:40 AM IST after an autonomous docking, monitored by both the spacecraft crew and the ISS team.

NASA has predicted their return to Earth will occur on March 19th. The new crew members have arrived at the International Space Station and were welcomed by the Crew-9 members, whom they will replace.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 p.m. ET, carrying four astronauts: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, who will take over operations on the ISS.

They will join the Expedition 72 crew of NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Don Pettit, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner. The number of crew aboard the space station will temporarily rise to 11 until the handover period is completed.

Also Read: Anne, Nichole, Takuya and Kirill: Meet The 4 Astronauts On SpaceX Crew-10 Set to Replace Sunita Williams

The SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams, and two other astronauts will undock from the space station no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Florida's coast.
 

What Problems Stranded Astronauts Can Face After Their Return:

1. Baby Feet: Astronauts may experience difficulty walking upon their return due to a condition known as "baby feet." This occurs during long-duration space missions when astronauts' feet become soft like those of babies. On Earth, gravity and friction help toughen the skin on our soles, enabling us to walk, run, and stand without discomfort. In space, however, the lack of gravity causes the feet to soften, making walking difficult.

2. Loss of Blood Volume: Astronauts also face a decrease in blood volume because the heart doesn’t have to pump blood against gravity, so it works less hard. Blood flow can slow down in some areas, which may lead to clots. Fluids shift upwards in the body, causing puffiness in the face and making it harder for fluids to drain. This fluid buildup affects the shape of the eyeballs, which can weaken eyesight and may explain why astronauts are seen wearing glasses in space.
 

3. Bone Density Loss: The absence of gravity also impacts bone density because the bones don’t have to support the body's weight as they do on Earth. NASA says astronauts' weight-bearing bones become roughly 1% less dense if they don’t take precautions to counter this loss. In space, muscles also weaken because they don’t need to work as hard to move around.

4. Radiation: One of the most significant risks astronauts face is radiation exposure. In space, they lose the protection of Earth’s atmosphere and are exposed to dangerous radiation.

According to NASA, astronauts are primarily exposed to three types of radiation: particles trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, solar energetic particles from the Sun, and galactic cosmic rays.

Williams and Wilmore's Complicated Homecoming

Williams and Wilmore have been stranded on Earth for the past nine months in what was supposed to be a week-long mission after their Boeing Starliner capsule faced technical failures.

The Boeing Starliner capsule faced significant technical issues during its mission, including problems with its thrusters and helium leaks in its propulsion system. These issues raised concerns about the spacecraft's ability to safely return astronauts to Earth. As a result, NASA decided to bring the Starliner back to Earth without the astronauts. Their return was initially planned on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that arrived in late September with two astronauts onboard and two empty seats specifically reserved for their trip home. However, delays mounted when their replacement capsule experienced battery issues and required significant repairs.

As a result, NASA decided to send an older, reliable capsule as a substitute, which further postponed the return by a couple of weeks, pushing it to mid-March.