Four astronauts returned to Earth following an extended stay on the space station due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and Hurricane Milton. The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Russian, was supposed to return two months earlier but encountered delays. SpaceX’s capsule carrying the crew parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico after undocking from the International Space Station mid-week.
The astronauts, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin, launched in March and experienced delays in their return due to safety concerns with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and bad weather caused by Hurricane Milton. Once back on Earth, Barratt, the only space veteran on the mission, thanked the support teams who helped them navigate the challenges they faced during their extended stay.
The replacements for the returning astronauts are the two Starliner test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, and two astronauts launched by SpaceX four weeks earlier. These four will stay on the space station until February, maintaining a crew size of seven, consisting of four Americans and three Russians. This marks a return to the normal crew size following months of overflow due to delays in returning crew members to Earth.
The team of astronauts faced several challenges during their mission, including a delay in their return to Earth due to safety concerns with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and bad weather caused by Hurricane Milton. Despite these obstacles, the crew successfully completed their mission and returned safely to Earth with the help of SpaceX’s capsule. The crew, consisting of Americans and a Russian astronaut, expressed gratitude to the support teams who helped them navigate the challenges they faced during their extended stay.
The crew’s return marks a return to the normal crew size on the space station, with four Americans and three Russians now aboard. The extended stay of the astronauts was due to unforeseen circumstances, including delays with Boeing’s Starliner capsule and weather-related issues caused by Hurricane Milton. Their replacements, including Starliner test pilots and astronauts launched by SpaceX, will remain on the space station until February, maintaining a crew size of seven.
Overall, the mission faced various challenges that caused delays in the return of the crew to Earth, including safety concerns with the Starliner capsule and difficult weather conditions caused by Hurricane Milton. Despite these obstacles, the crew successfully completed their mission, with the help of SpaceX, and returned safely to Earth. Their replacements will continue their work on the space station until February, ensuring that the normal crew size is maintained for ongoing operations.
