A SpaceX crew capsule successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, carrying four new astronauts who will replace NASA’s two stuck astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. The newcomers, hailing from the United States, Japan, and Russia, will spend the next few days familiarizing themselves with the ISS’s operations under the guidance of Wilmore and Williams.
Wilmore and Williams have been on an extended mission since last June, initially expecting to spend only a week in space. However, due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule, they were forced to stay on the ISS for nine months. The Boeing Starliner encountered numerous problems, prompting NASA to decide that it would return to Earth empty, leaving Wilmore and Williams to await a SpaceX rescue mission.
As the new astronauts arrived at the ISS, Wilmore welcomed them warmly, opening the hatch and ringing the ship’s bell. The newcomers were greeted with hugs and handshakes, marking a joyful moment after a prolonged period of uncertainty. Williams expressed her delight at the arrival, telling Mission Control, “It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive.”
The SpaceX capsule that will take Wilmore and Williams back to Earth arrived at the ISS in late September with a reduced crew of two and two empty seats reserved for the return journey. However, further delays occurred when the new capsule required extensive battery repairs. An older capsule was eventually used, pushing back the return date to mid-March.
Weather permitting, the SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams, and two other astronauts is scheduled to undock from the ISS no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Florida’s coast. Until then, the ISS will be home to 11 astronauts, representing the United States, Russia, and Japan.
