NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded for over 9 months, are set to return to Earth on Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. In a video shared by Elon Musk, the astronauts thanked him and US President Donald Trump for aiding their return. Williams said, “We’ll be back before too long.” Trump, addressing their prolonged stay, blamed the previous administration and authorized Musk to assist. Their return follows NASA’s Crew-10 mission, which docked at the ISS on Sunday, paving the way for their long-awaited journey home.

NASA’s Crew-10 astronauts have arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) to replace Crew-9 members, including Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. The new team reached the ISS aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. Williams and Wilmore have been in space for over nine months due to technical issues with their Starliner capsule. They will return to Earth on Wednesday along with two other astronauts. The Crew-10 team, from the US, Russia, and Japan, will stay at the ISS for six months. Williams expressed excitement about returning home to her family and pets after the extended mission.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague welcomed the newly arrived SpaceX Crew-10 to the International Space Station in a playful manner—by donning a grey alien mask. As the capsule docked, Hague floated around in a black hoodie, gesturing dramatically, creating a humorous moment captured on NASA’s live stream. The prank quickly gained traction online, with users joking about “real aliens” on the ISS. Meanwhile, stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stuck since June 2024 due to Boeing Starliner issues, are finally set to return to Earth this week. SpaceX Crew-10’s arrival marks a long-awaited shift for the station’s crew.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months due to technical issues with their return spacecraft. They are scheduled to return to Earth no earlier than March 19, 2025, aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon-10 mission. Prolonged exposure to microgravity poses significant health challenges for returning astronauts. They may experience "baby feet," a condition where foot calluses disappear, leading to walking difficulties upon return. Additionally, astronauts face bone density loss, with weight-bearing bones losing approximately 1% density per month in space, resulting in increased fragility. Muscle atrophy is another concern, necessitating extensive rehabilitation. Cardiovascular and neurological systems are also affected; fluid shifts in the brain can cause vision and hearing issues, while the heart may undergo structural changes, complicating blood pressure regulation. Furthermore, increased radiation exposure during extended missions elevates the risk of cancer and central nervous system disorders.

After an unexpected nine-month mission extension due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are poised to return home. SpaceX's Crew-10, comprising NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA's Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos' Kirill Peskov, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on March 15, 2025. This crew will assume duties from Williams and Wilmore, who have been aboard the ISS since June 2024. The Crew-10 mission faced delays, notably a SpaceX Starship rocket explosion eight days prior, but proceeded after thorough evaluations. Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth on March 19, 2025, marking the conclusion of their prolonged stay.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday, delivering four astronauts as part of NASA's Crew-10 mission. This arrival facilitates the long-awaited return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been aboard the ISS for nine months due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule. The Crew-10 team comprising NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, launched from Kennedy Space Center on Friday and will remain on the station for approximately six months. Wilmore and Williams, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday.

Elon Musk plans to launch SpaceX's Starship to Mars in late 2026, carrying Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus. If successful, human missions could commence by 2029, though 2031 is more probable. Optimus, initially designed for factory tasks, is now envisioned to prepare Mars for human colonization by constructing habitats and infrastructure. Critics question Optimus's readiness, noting that prototypes struggled with basic mobility. While NASA and China focus on direct human missions, Musk's robot-first approach is unconventional. However, Starship's recent test failures and subsequent FAA investigations cast doubt on the 2026 timeline. The success of this mission could revolutionize space exploration, positioning robots as pioneers of interplanetary settlement.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are poised to return home after an extended nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their return was facilitated by the successful launch of SpaceX's Crew-10 mission on March 14, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center. The Crew-10 team, comprising NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan's Takuya Onishi, and Russia's Kirill Peskov, is set to replace the current ISS crew. Williams and Wilmore's mission was prolonged due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, initially intended for their return. The Crew-10 astronauts will conduct a six-month mission focused on scientific research aboard the ISS.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, initially slated for an eight-day mission in June 2024, have been on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Their return has been further delayed, with NASA confirming they won't be back on Earth before March 19, 2025. The delay stems from a postponed launch of SpaceX's Crew-10 mission, which was rescheduled to March 14 due to high winds and a hydraulic system issue on the Falcon 9 rocket. Once Crew-10 arrives and takes over ISS operations, Williams and Wilmore are expected to return, highlighting challenges in current space missions.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully undocked the SDX-01 and SDX-02 satellites under its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission. This milestone is crucial for future missions, including Chandrayaan-4, the Bharatiya Antriksh Station, and Gaganyaan. The undocking involved precise maneuvers, including the disengagement of capture levers and issuing decapture commands. Launched on December 30, 2024, SpaDeX demonstrated India's growing expertise in orbital rendezvous, docking, and separation. The Minister of Science and Technology praised the achievement, calling it a proud moment for India. With this, India joins the US, Russia, and China in mastering advanced space docking technologies.