After nearly 270 days in space, U.S. astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The pair initially embarked on an eight-day mission in June 2024 but were left stranded after Boeing’s Starliner capsule suffered technical issues and returned to Earth unmanned.<br />The prolonged mission has drawn attention to NASA’s reliance on private companies. While SpaceX’s program is operational, Boeing continues to face challenges despite its $4.8 billion contract.<br />NASA released a video highlighting the astronauts’ extended stay, showcasing their scientific work and spacewalks. Williams and Wilmore will be replaced by a new crew launching on March 12, with Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin taking command of the ISS.
