A HOMECOMING FROM THE HEAVENS

SpaceX's Crew Dragon approaches the International Space Station for docking during the Crew-10 mission, carrying a relief crew to bring home two stranded astronauts.

- TDG NETWORK

In the quiet darkness of early morning, a bright white spacecraft drifted slowly toward the International Space Station (ISS). Inside SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, four astronauts from three different countries peered out the windows as the station grew larger against the black of space. On the ISS, NASA astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore were waiting anxiously. This moment was nine months in the making. What was meant to be a routine week-long trip to space had turned into an unexpected odyssey—and now, their ride home was finally here.

AN UNPLANNED MISSION EXTENSION

Williams and Wilmore's journey began in June 2024 with triumph and trepidation. They had launched on the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner—a new spacecraft meant to ferry astronauts to the ISS. The plan was simple: fly to the station, spend a week assisting with tests and logistics, then return to Earth aboard Starliner. But fate had other plans. Shortly after reaching orbit, Starliner began experiencing serious technical problems—a series of helium leaks and thruster failures that crippled the ship's performance. Mission controllers faced an agonizing decision: they ultimately ordered Starliner to return home empty, without its crew, rather than risk a human ride in a malfunctioning spacecraft.

That decision left Williams and Wilmore stranded aboard the ISS, effectively becoming unexpected long-term crew members. What was supposed to be an eight- or ten-day mission stretched out to nine months. NASA quickly reassigned them as part of the station's Expedition crew, integrating them into daily station life.