Read more at source.
Read more at source.
Williams and Wilmore lifted off on June 5, 2024, on a mission to test Starliner, a Boeing spacecraft designed to transport crew to and from the ISS. However, technical issues with Starliner's thrusters led to an unplanned extended stay in space. While the spacecraft managed to dock at the ISS, NASA decided to send Starliner back to Earth without crew on board, leaving the astronauts stranded.
To facilitate the return of Williams and Wilmore, NASA decided to send only two astronauts instead of four on the subsequent SpaceX mission. The two vacant seats in the SpaceX vehicle were filled by Williams and Wilmore, who returned to Earth after the arrival of Crew-10 at the ISS.
The extended stay of the astronauts became a point of contention between the administrations of US presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump. SpaceX owner Elon Musk accused the Biden administration of abandoning the astronauts on the ISS, and after his inauguration, President Trump instructed Musk to return the astronauts as soon as possible.
Despite the political controversy and technical issues, the astronauts successfully returned to Earth. NASA acting administrator Janet Petro expressed her joy at their return and thanked the teams for their effort in bringing the crew home.
PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months. Today, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to@ElonMusk, @SpaceX, and @NASA! - The official White House account
