Two NASA astronauts who were supposed to be in space for just 10 days have been stuck in orbit for nine months. Now, thanks to SpaceX, they are finally getting a ride home — a mission the Biden administration failed to prioritize despite growing concerns over the delay.
On Sunday, SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS), bringing a relief crew to replace those who had been left in orbit. The four-person team consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. The arrival was a welcome sight for the current station occupants, who greeted the newcomers with excitement.
🚨NASA ASTRONAUTS THANK ELON & TRUMP AHEAD OF SPACEX RESCUE
After 9 months stranded in space, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set to return home aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
Wilmore:
“All of us have the utmost respect for Mr Musk and obviously… https://t.co/cKeivzSXfU pic.twitter.com/QlcNpYJa2M
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 17, 2025
“It was a wonderful day,” astronaut Sunita Williams said after the hatch opened, allowing the new team to enter the station. She and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore had been awaiting a way home since last June, when their Boeing Starliner spacecraft suffered technical failures and was unable to bring them back as planned.
Despite the urgency of the situation, the Biden administration failed to take swift action, leaving NASA to rely on a private-sector solution. SpaceX, which had gained momentum under President Donald Trump’s leadership, stepped in to provide the rescue effort, underscoring its role as the most reliable partner for space missions.
The meeting of Crew 9 & Crew 10 was more than just a moment-it was a promise. A promise that no dream is too far, no frontier too distant & no journey without a way home. Thanks to @Elonmusk & @SpaceX, hope now travels beyond the stars & the impossible is just the beginning. 🚀✨ pic.twitter.com/woG9mnk8bf
— Grace (@4verBeyou) March 17, 2025
NASA has now confirmed that Crew-9 — Wilmore, Williams, Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — will return to Earth on March 18. The SpaceX Dragon capsule will undock in the early morning hours before making its descent for a splashdown off Florida’s coast in the evening.
NASA will provide continuous live coverage of the mission, ensuring that updates are available as conditions evolve. The return will mark the end of a prolonged wait for astronauts who were left without an immediate plan, exposing the consequences of government mismanagement in space operations.
