NASA's astronauts, Sunni “Sunni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore has been at the International Space Station for more than eight months, although they initially expected to stay for about eight days. Finally is the time to get home and Their replacements are on the road.
Facilitating a team for the ISS began on Friday, after two days of delays, first due to a problem with a hydraulic system with an anchoring hand for support for country support for SpaceX Rocket falcon 9, second due to weather conditions. But on Friday, at 19:03 ET, a crew-10, composed of NASA astronauts, Ann McClane and Nicole Ayers, the Air Force Research Agency in Japan, astronaut Takuja Onishi and Roskosmos Cosmonaut Kiril Peskov.
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NASA-10 Astronaut Astronauts launch to ISS on SpaceX rocket
Once they arrive, there will be a two -day lecture period, and then Williams, Wilmore, NASA astronaut, Nick Hague and Roskosmos Cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov will return to the ground. They could be on their return on March 19th.
On March 7, Williams overturned the command of the ISS to Roskosmos Cosmonaut Alexei Ovicinin as he prepares to return home.
“We're not stuck”
Williams told PBS Newshour Recently that they do not feel abandoned by NASA.
“Obviously, there are a lot of discussion about it, so maybe people could imagine that this is the way we are, but we are not stuck,” she said. “We are part of a bigger process, right?”
Asked about the practicalities at once in space, much longer than expected, without additional materials, Wilmore said that was not a problem.
“We started with less clothes, if you want, and it was intentional,” he said. “We brought the accessories they needed – the space station needed. We brought her with us. So we took some of the clothes. We will only be here for a week or the like.
“But we have done. It was not a big deal, honestly. The space station program plans more unforeseen cases. We store food to last four months above what is expected, to a minimum. Some – most times, it's longer than that, food and other amenities, wet wipes, everything you need here.”
Wilmore told the PBS that he could talk to his family from space, noting that he not only talked to his two daughters, but also with his youngest daughter's boyfriend.
“Like the dad of daughters, these are my responsibilities,” he said.
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Shooting a spacecraft
Because their stay was extended, Williams set a record. She went to a 5-hour, 26-minute space world with Wilmore, and with that walk she surpassed the record set by a woman during spacecraft. According to Space.comWilliams now has 62 hours and 6 minutes of space, surpassing former astronaut Peggy Witson, who was 60 hours and 21 minutes.
In this latest space, the two worked to finally remove a defective radio communication unit, the one that astronauts at two previous space sites could not remove them.
Williams has previously joined with astronaut Nick Hague for space trails January 16. In that area, Williams and The Hague replaced the rate of the Goro Assembly that helps maintain the orientation of the orbital place, NASA said. Astronauts also installed patches to cover the damaged areas of light filters on the telescope with compositions of the interior of neutrons starwides, which replaced the reflector device of one of the international adapters and checked areas for access and connector tools that astronauts will use for the future.
NASA's astronaut, Sunni Williams, is seen outside the International Space Station during January 16, 2025, space.
What are the astronauts?
Wilmore, 61, and Williams, 58, are veterans astronauts, naval officers and former testing pilots. Williams has been NASA's astronaut since 1998 and Wilmore since 2000. Both have a lot of experience in space.
Williams is a former holder of records for the most space products from a woman (seven) and the most space time of a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes), and in 2007, she led the first marathon of any person in space.
In 2009 3D printer To produce a turnover tool-in space, for the first time people producing something out of the world.
What was their initial mission in space?
Wilmore, as a commander and Williams, as a pilot, traveled to a 15 -meter capsule -made ISS, called a starliner. They began on June 5 and joined the ISS on June 6. NASA hopes Starliner will give the organization a new way to get the teams to and from ISS, and the fact that Boeing is made is another sign that NASA is starting to rely on the private sector for its options for human space light, Published the Newoujork Times.
Williams's mission was to last only eight days, during which they would try out aspects of a starliner and see how they work with a human team in space. But due to complications with a starter, the two astronauts are still there.
Wilmore and Williams have been responding to media issues since last March.
How did it get stuck in space in the first place?
The Starliner was delayed in May due to a rocket valve problem. The engineers then had to repair helium leakage. It's all bad news for Boeing. That is Competing with SpaceXWhat was it transport of astronauts to ISS Since 2020, making over 20 successful trips to the space station.
On June 5, Starliner finally began at the Atlas V rocket, but some problems came along with the launch. NASA announced that Three leaks of helium were identified, one of which was known before the flight and two new ones. In addition to leaking, the crew had to change unsuccessful controls, although the craft was able to successfully join the ISS.
SpaceX also had failures. A Exploded rocket falcon 9 The Launchpad in 2016. In July this year, the Falcon 9 rocket experienced a liquid oxygen flow and deployed its satellites into the wrong orbit, Theuork Times reported. In addition, the Falcon 9 rocket at the end of August lost the first phase amplifier when it was shot down in the Atlantic Ocean and caught fire.
But that said, SpaceX has more than 300 successful Flights with falcon 9 to her credit.
Stuck in space: Timeline frame
- May: Starliner launch is delayed due to a rocket valve problem and then helium leaks.
- June 5: Starliner launches Williams and Wilmore on the ship.
- June 6: Starliner joins the ISS despite dealing with three leaks of helium and unsuccessful control strokes.
- September 6: Starliner goes to ISS and landed in New Mexico, leaving behind Williams and Wilmore.
- September 28.
- September 29: SpaceX Dragon joins ISS.
- December 17: NASA announces that the launch of four ISS crew will be postponed from February to the end of March.
- March 12: NASA's Astronauts, Ann McClane and Nicole Ayers, Japan Airspace Research Agency, Astronaut Takuja Onishi and Roskosmos Cosmonaut Kiril Peskov, were postponed for one day, then the next day.
- March 14: Crew-10 began on their 28-hour trip to ISS. Once they arrive, there will be a two -day lecture period. The docking is due to be at 11:30 pm on March 15th.
- March 19: Dragon Dragon's spacecraft is expected to leave the ISS and return to Earth with Williams, Wilmore, The Hague and Gorbunov.