Imagine preparing for a short 10-day business trip and ending up stuck at your destination for nearly a year. Now, imagine that the destination is space. This is exactly what happened to NASA astronauts Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams. What was meant to be a routine mission to the International Space Station (ISS) turned into an unexpected nine-month ordeal, all due to a malfunctioning spacecraft.
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A mission gone wrong: Why were NASA astronauts stuck in space?
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were meant to be in space for just ten days. Instead, their mission turned into an unexpected 9-month stay aboard the ISS. The duo launched on June 5 2024, as part of the Boeing Starliner’s Crewed Flight Test, but technical malfunctions forced a drastic change of plans.
The Boeing Starliner, which was meant to take them back to Earth, suffered propulsion issues. NASA determined it wasn’t safe for the astronauts to return in the spacecraft, so it was sent back uncrewed in September 2024, as reported by Space.com. That left Wilmore and Williams stranded—though NASA insists they were never technically ‘stranded,’ as they continued their work on the ISS while waiting for a rescue plan to materialise.
Their return was further delayed due to a series of logistical and technical problems, but now, after nearly a year in space, they are finally set to come home. Their journey back is made possible thanks to the SpaceX Crew-10 mission, which has sent four new astronauts to replace them. The agency decided to use the flight-proven Dragon capsule Endurance, which had previously flown three missions.
While spending nearly a year in space sounds like a gruelling job, you might be surprised to learn how little extra money the astronauts coule be getting for their extended mission.
Former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman explained that astronauts are essentially federal employees. She revealed that there is no special overtime pay beyond the standard salary.
Therefore, as reported by LadBible, Wilmore and Williams will receive a small daily stipend of about $4 (£3) per day for incidentals—adding up to just over $1,000 (£770) for their entire time in space. It’s a far cry from the hefty bonuses one might expect for such an extreme and dangerous job.
Despite this, both astronauts have remained dedicated to their mission, with Williams acknowledging:
We came up prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short. That’s what we do in human space flight.
That's what your nation's human space flight program is all about, planning for unknown, unexpected contingencies. And we did that.
SpaceX to the rescue: The Crew-10 mission
The long-awaited return of Wilmore and Williams was made possible by the Crew-10 mission. On March 12, 2025, the SpaceX Crew Dragon launched from Kennedy Space Center, carrying astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov to the ISS.
With Crew-10 safely docked at the ISS, Wilmore and Williams, along with two other astronauts—NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—have finally departed. Their return to Earth took place on March 16, 2025.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain, the Crew-10 commander, emphasised the importance of international collaboration in space travel:
If you want to go fast, you go alone, but if you want to go far, you go together.
The mission's success depended on careful coordination between NASA, SpaceX, and international space agencies.
The toll on their health: What happens to your health after nine months in space?
Spending nine months in space is no easy feat, as highlighted by Newsweek. While Wilmore and Williams have remained in high spirits, their extended stay may have lasting effects on their bodies.
Without gravity, astronauts experience a loss of bone density, which can be difficult to reverse even after rehabilitation on Earth. Muscle mass also deteriorates, despite daily exercise routines aboard the ISS. Prolonged exposure to weightlessness can cause vision problems due to swelling in the back of the eye, a condition known as Space-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). Additionally, the lack of gravity affects the cardiovascular system, making the heart work less and increasing the risk of arrhythmias once back on Earth.
Another significant concern is radiation exposure. Unlike on Earth, where the atmosphere provides natural protection, astronauts on the ISS are exposed to much higher levels of radiation, which can increase the risk of cancer and other health complications in the long run.
Despite these risks, Wilmore reassured the public during a press conference, stating his ‘joints don’t ache because there’s no pressure on them.’
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Sources used:
Space.com: For NASA astronauts on a 10-day space mission that lasted 9 months, a landing date at last
Al Jazeera: Stranded NASA astronauts to return as SpaceX Dragon docks with ISS
Newsweek: Stranded NASA Astronauts: What Happens To Your Body When Stuck In Space?
LadBible: NASA astronauts stranded in space ‘to be paid’ shocking amount after eight-day mission turned into over nine months
