Spacefarers return: Williams and Wilmore head back to earth
American astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, after spending 286 days on the International Space Station (ISS), are on their way back to Earth. The Crew Dragon capsule is set to land off the coast of Florida.
American astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been on the International Space Station (ISS) since June of last year, have started their journey back to Earth.
As NASA reported, the Crew Dragon capsule, which also carries Americans Nick Hague and Russian Aleksandr Gorbunov, detached from the ISS. The landing is planned for late Tuesday evening off the coast of Florida.
Long mission on the ISS
Williams and Wilmore travelled to space as part of the first mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. They planned for their stay on the ISS to last eight days, but issues with the Starliner's propulsion system caused delays in their return. Ultimately, NASA decided that the astronauts would return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
Upon their return, the astronauts will spend a few days at NASA's centre where they will undergo medical examinations. Long-term stays in space can lead to various health issues, such as muscle atrophy or vision impairment.
Records in space
Williams and Wilmore spent 286 days in space, which exceeds the average mission duration on the ISS of six months. In comparison, American astronaut Frank Rubio was in space continuously for 371 days, due to a malfunction in the Russian spacecraft. The record for the most days spent in space is held by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, who has over 878 days to his credit.
After completing the mission, the astronauts will be able to return to their homes, but they must first undergo comprehensive examinations to assess the impact of their long-term stay in space on their health.
