Sunita Williams went to space for 8 days stuck until February 2025? NASA eyes Elon Musk’s SpaceX for rescue

NASA considers SpaceX for astronauts’ return from ISS amid Starliner problems; decision pending.

NASA is facing a mounting crisis and pressure as astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore find themselves stranded on the International Space Station. Initially slated for just an 8-day trip, the duo’s return has been indefinitely postponed due to critical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

Boeing Crew Flight Test crew members Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore work in the Boeing Starliner simulator (AP)

NASA said on Wednesday that it is looking into every way to get its astronauts back home. One idea is to have astronauts come back in 2025, and they’re thinking about using Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, which is a rival to Boeing.

NASA looking into alternatives to bring back Sunita William-Butch Wilmore

At a press conference, Kenneth Bowersox, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Operations, discussed the challenges of returning the astronauts and highlighted alternative solutions. He stressed that relying solely on the Starliner for their return may not be feasible. “We have the option to bring them back on another vehicle,” he stated. The astronauts, who were launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner, have been in space for over two months.


While their presence offers extra support to the Expedition 71 crew, their prolonged stay is rapidly depleting the ISS’s resources as per the spokesperson. Initially hesitant to consider other return options, NASA officials are now openly discussing the possibility of utilizing a different spacecraft to bring the astronauts back home. However, a consensus on the best course of action has yet to be reached.

NASA to work with Space X?

Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich highlighted that NASA is collaborating with SpaceX to prepare for the return of astronauts on Crew 9. “We have been working with SpaceX to ensure that they are ready to respond on Crew 9… returning Butch and Suni on Crew 9 if we need that,” he said.

This plan would entail selecting just two out of the four astronauts initially assigned to the mission, while also adding additional spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams. NASA announced the postponement of the SpaceX Crew 9 mission on Tuesday, moving its launch from mid-August to September 25th, this year.

Sunita William- Butch Wilmore stuck till February 2025?

“We have set up the Dragon for Crew 9 to have flexibility, to have only two passengers fly up on that flight and then we can return four crew members in February 2025 time frame, and Butch and Suni would remain on station as part of that increment and return home with them on Crew 9,” the NASA official explained their plans of bringing the crew back.

However, the decision has not been made yet, and officials have indicated that it will take a week or more to reach a conclusion. Returning the astronauts using a SpaceX craft would be a significant setback for Boeing, which has been trying for years to compete with its rival and was hopeful for its latest mission.

Upon its arrival at the ISS, the Starliner encountered several technical issues, including leaks in its propulsion system and thrusters shutting down. “Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner,” Stich said. “However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open,” he added.