A routine crew rotation at the International Space Station is about to take on added significance, as it clears the way for two astronauts who have been stuck there for over nine months to finally return home. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore launched aboard a Boeing Starliner test flight in June, but thruster malfunctions prevented the capsule from departing orbit. The extended delay made headlines and fueled the perception that the astronauts were “stranded in space,” a claim that both NASA and the crew actively sought to dispel.
But it hasn’t stopped the two astronauts from getting on with their work. They’ve conducted various experiments, including testing material flammability to contribute to future spacecraft and facilities design. They’ve also acted as test subjects, helping scientists determine how the body adapts to space and leading a study of the effects on the immune system.
While the mission isn’t going as planned, the astronauts still have plenty of time to prepare for the return home. Their next return is initially scheduled for February when their new Starliner capsule is due to dock with the station. However, the space agency is swapping the mission with a different Dragon, which could move it up to late March. NASA says the decision to bump up the crew rotation does not respond to political pressure.
NASA is preparing to welcome four new astronauts who will replace Williams and Wilmore at the station. They’ll join Expedition 58 commander Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov. The crew will orient themselves a few days before Sunday’s handover begins.
During the handover, the astronauts will perform various tasks, including assisting with the transfer of research cargo. The crew will also conduct science experiments, such as a study of how water crystals form in microgravity and a student-designed project to test the ability of biopolymers to build bricks similar to those found on Earth and Mars.
The NASA-SpaceX Crew-10 mission will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:48 p.m. (2348 GMT). A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the four-member team in a Crew Dragon capsule.
