NASA and SpaceX Expedite Return of Stranded Starliner Crew

NASA and SpaceX have announced plans to bring the stranded crew of the Starliner spacecraft back to Earth two weeks earlier than initially scheduled. The agency is making arrangements to replace the spacecraft in order to facilitate this expedited return.

The Crew Dragon Endurance is set to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12, provided that the SpaceX vehicle is ready for flight. This mission, designated Crew-10, requires thorough checks, maintenance, and fueling before it can proceed. The Endurance spacecraft has successfully completed three missions to the ISS previously. By moving Crew-10's launch date forward, the return of Crew-9, which includes astronauts Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, can be advanced as well.

To accommodate this change, NASA will switch the spacecraft for the mission. Originally, Crew-10 was scheduled to launch on March 25 with a new Crew Dragon, designated C213, which is the fifth and final iteration of SpaceX's Crew Dragon series. Unfortunately, due to technical issues, C213 is now expected to be ready for launch only by late April.

Williams and Wilmore have been aboard the ISS for over six months, having arrived in June 2024 aboard the Starliner. Their return was initially planned after an eight-day mission; however, technical difficulties with Boeing's Starliner led to the decision to bring the spacecraft back without a crew in September. This prolonged stay has turned what was meant to be a short mission into nearly a three-quarter-year ordeal, with multiple delays on their return, the most recent being in December.

The astronauts will now return to Earth with the Crew-9 mission. This crew, which arrived at the ISS in September, consists of only two members, further complicating the situation. NASA has not specified a return date for Crew-9, noting that the timing will depend on weather conditions off the coast of Florida.

The situation surrounding Williams and Wilmore's return has gained political attention, with new U.S. President Donald Trump urging SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to expedite their return. Trump criticized the previous administration for leaving the Starliner crew in a precarious position, framing the situation as a failure of the Biden administration to support the astronauts adequately.

NASA's recent announcement did not address these political implications.