NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months due to a technical malfunction of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft have flown back to earth, NASA’s press office said on social network X on Tuesday.
SpaceX’s Crew-9 spacecraft carrying a crew including NASA’s American astronauts Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov successfully undocked from the ISS.
“The Crew-9 mission crew has begun its return to earth,” NASA said in a statement.
The undocking of the spacecraft from the ISS took place on March 18 at 9:05.
American astronauts Wilmore and Williams arrived at the ISS on June 5, 2024, their return to earth was scheduled for June 14 of the same year. However, due to helium leaks and the failure of four engines of the Starliner spacecraft, the mission lasted more than six months.
In autumn, there were reports of Williams’ significant weight loss, which caused concern among experts. NASA officially stated that the health of the crew was under control and did not require an emergency return.
Russian cosmonaut Gorbunov and astronaut Haig went into orbit in September 2024.
