In a recent announcement, NASA revealed that SpaceX will be switching capsules for upcoming astronaut flights to bring Butch Wilmore and Needham native Suni Williams home from the International Space Station in mid-March, earlier than initially planned. This decision comes after a series of delays and setbacks, including issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and delays with the new SpaceX capsule.
The astronauts were originally supposed to return in June, but due to the complications, they have been in space for over eight months. The new crew, which includes two NASA astronauts, one from Japan, and one from Russia, is set to launch on March 12 using an older capsule. This change will also impact a private flight arranged by Axiom Space, featuring astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India, which will now be delayed.
NASA’s decision to expedite the return of Wilmore and Williams comes after concerns were raised about the prolonged stay in space. The agency is working to ensure a smooth transition by having the new crew arrive before sending the old one back. This change in plans follows a pledge by President Donald Trump and SpaceX’s Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return.
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