Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months, despite originally planning to stay for just eight days. Their prolonged mission is due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was supposed to bring them back to Earth.

To facilitate their return, NASA and SpaceX planned the Crew-10 mission, which involves sending a new crew to the ISS using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. However, this mission has encountered delays. On March 12, 2025, the launch was postponed due to a hydraulic system issue on the ground support clamp arm of the Falcon 9. The launch has now been rescheduled for March 14, 2025, at 7:03 p.m. EDT.

The extended mission has sparked political debates. Former President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk suggested that political factors may have influenced the delay. However, Butch Wilmore dismissed these claims, asserting that their extended stay is purely due to technical challenges and unexpected contingencies in spaceflight.

Sunita Williams, a veteran astronaut, previously served on Expeditions 14, 15, 32, and 33 and has completed nine spacewalks, accumulating over 62 hours in extravehicular activity. She returned to the ISS on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Crew Flight Test, the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner. Due to return delays, she assumed command of the ISS in September 2024 and continues to hold that position.

NASA and SpaceX are actively working to resolve the issues to ensure a safe return for both astronauts. Once the Crew-10 mission reaches the ISS, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are expected to finally return to Earth.