Look up at the night sky. Somewhere about 250 miles above your head, two people are probably looking back down, wondering exactly when they’ll get to sleep in their own beds again. People keep asking, are astronauts home yet? and the answer is currently a complicated "no" for the duo that everyone is watching.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are still up there. They launched on Boeing’s Starliner back in June 2024. It was supposed to be a quick trip. Eight days. That was the plan. Now, we’re well into 2025 and they are still orbiting Earth at 17,500 miles per hour. It’s wild.
The Starliner Mess: Why They Didn't Come Back on Schedule
The whole situation started with a series of mechanical hiccups that turned into a full-blown logistical headache. When Starliner approached the International Space Station (ISS), several thrusters failed. Then there were helium leaks. Small ones at first, but enough to make NASA engineers pull the emergency brake on the return flight. NASA doesn't gamble with lives. If the propulsion system isn't 100% reliable, you don't put humans in that capsule for a high-heat re-entry through the atmosphere.
Eventually, NASA made the tough call. They sent the Starliner capsule back to Earth empty. It landed in New Mexico, proving it could have made it, but the risk was too high for Butch and Suni. So, they stayed. They basically became "unplanned" long-duration crew members.
Living on the ISS: It's Not a Vacation
You might think hanging out in space for extra months sounds cool. It isn't exactly a resort. The ISS is cramped. It smells like a mix of ozone, burnt metal, and old gym socks. Since Butch and Suni weren't part of the original long-term manifest, the station got a bit crowded.
💡 You might also like: Play Video Live Viral: Why Your Streams Keep Flopping and How to Fix It
- They've had to adapt to a "nomadic" sleeping arrangement.
- Exercise is mandatory—two hours a day—to stop their bones from turning into brittle glass.
- They are working. Hard. They aren't just floating around; they’ve integrated into the Expedition 71 and 72 crews, performing science experiments and station maintenance.
The SpaceX Rescue Plan
So, if Starliner is gone, how do they get back? Enter Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This is the part that probably stung Boeing the most. NASA assigned Butch and Suni to the Crew-9 mission.
The Crew-9 Dragon capsule launched with two empty seats specifically to bring them home. But space travel isn't like calling an Uber. You can't just flip a U-turn. The mission cycles on the ISS are rigid. They are slated to return in February 2025. That turns an eight-day mission into an eight-month marathon. It’s a massive test of mental fortitude. Imagine packing for a weekend getaway and being told you’re staying for the better part of a year.
The Health Toll of Extra Time in Orbit
The human body hates microgravity. Honestly, it's a miracle we can survive up there at all. Without gravity pulling fluid toward your legs, it settles in your head. This "puffy face" syndrome isn't just cosmetic; it puts pressure on the optic nerves. Many astronauts come back with permanent vision changes.
Then there's the radiation. Outside the protection of Earth's thick atmosphere, they are getting pelted by cosmic rays. It’s a slow, invisible bake. Butch and Suni are experienced veterans, but every extra day increases the cumulative dose. NASA tracks this down to the millisievert.
📖 Related: Pi Coin Price in USD: Why Most Predictions Are Completely Wrong
Psychological Resilience
How do you stay sane? Suni Williams is known for her incredible athleticism and positive attitude. She even ran a marathon on a treadmill in space during a previous mission. Butch is a retired Navy captain. These aren't people who crack under pressure. But the isolation is real. They miss birthdays, holidays, and the simple sensation of wind on their skin. They use video calls to talk to family, but the lag and the screen can't replace a hug.
What This Means for the Future of Spaceflight
This whole "are astronauts home yet" saga has fundamentally shifted how we look at commercial space partnerships. For a decade, Boeing and SpaceX were neck-and-neck. Now, the gap is a canyon.
- Redundancy is king. If NASA hadn't funded two different companies, Butch and Suni would be in a much tighter spot.
- Boeing’s Starliner program is at a crossroads. Can they fix the thruster issues? Will they fly humans again? These are billion-dollar questions.
- The ISS is aging. It’s set to be decommissioned around 2030. Every delay or issue with transport vehicles makes the remaining years of the station more precious and more precarious.
The Timeline for Re-entry
If everything stays on track with the current Crew-9 schedule, we are looking at a splashdown in the early months of 2025. The Dragon capsule will undock, perform a de-orbit burn, and hit the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico.
The recovery teams are already practicing. When they finally step out of that capsule, they won't be walking. Not at first. Their vestibular systems—the inner ear balance—will be completely shot. They’ll feel like they weigh a thousand pounds. They’ll be carried into a medical tent, given fluids, and slowly reintroduced to the feeling of Earth pulling at them.
👉 See also: Oculus Rift: Why the Headset That Started It All Still Matters in 2026
Practical Steps to Track the Return
If you want to keep tabs on exactly when they hit the water, you don't have to wait for the nightly news.
- Follow NASA’s Launch Schedule: The agency updates the "ISS Departure" dates frequently. Look for "Crew-9 Return."
- Watch the Night Sky: Use apps like "ISS Detector." If the weather is clear, you can see the station moving across the sky. It's a bright, steady light. Knowing Butch and Suni are on that spec of light makes it feel more real.
- Check the Boeing Starliner Updates: Even though the ship is home, the investigation into what went wrong is ongoing. The results of that probe will determine when the next "are astronauts home yet" question refers to a new crew.
This isn't just a technical failure; it's a human story of endurance. Butch and Suni didn't ask to be the faces of a space-travel controversy, but they’ve handled it with the "right stuff" grace that defines NASA's history. They are doing the work, waiting for their ride, and proving that while space is hard, humans are incredibly resilient.
Keep your eyes on the February 2025 window. That’s the target. Until then, they remain the most famous residents of the high ground, orbiting us every 90 minutes, waiting for the day they can finally feel the grass under their feet again.
To stay updated on the specific splashdown coordinates and live stream times for the Crew-9 return, monitor the official NASA TV schedule two weeks prior to the scheduled February undocking. Checking the "Space Station" blog on NASA's website provides the most accurate, non-sensationalized data on thruster testing and final de-orbit maneuvers.