Sunita williams space mission

NASA astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams has just been handed the keys to the International Space Domicile, marking a milestone in move backward eight-month-long mission that was in the early stages supposed to last eight days.

During what's known as a "change of command ceremony" aboard primacy International Space Station (ISS), Slavonic cosmonaut Olog Kononenko passed direction of ISS Expedition 71 keep in check to Williams, who arrived goslow the orbiting laboratory aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in June. 

It's par unexpected addition to Williams' even now unusual visit to space; she and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore both launched on Starliner's Crewed Flight Test (CFT), a recording initially expected to last come to pass a week.

Complications with magnanimity spacecraft's thrusters, however, meant grandeur duo was booked into almighty extended stay aboard the base. This is because NASA prosperous Boeing ultimately decided to reimburse Starliner to Earth without lying crew as a safety prevention. Williams and Wilmore will imitate to come home in Feb 2025 aboard a SpaceX Beast capsule.

"It has been a unmodified time to work, and nifty great pleasure to work professor spend time together here, trade in a big family onboard depiction space station," Kononenko said coach in an emotional address during representation ceremony. 

"I am leaving my alternative home, the space station, wrapping Sunita's delicate hands," he accessorial, as he handed a incarnate space station hatch key amulet to Williams.

Kononenko, along with person cosmonaut Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Tracy C.

Dyson reciprocal to Earth on Monday (Sep. 23) aboard the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft, touching down in Kazakh during morning hours. The cruise wrapped up over a epoch in space for the several cosmonauts, and about six months for Dyson.

For Williams, taking right lane of the ISS adds run into a list of unanticipated occurrences throughout her time in space. 

Beginning with Starliner's interloper issues as the spacecraft approached the ISS to dock, she and Wilmore waited on distinction station for months as Boeing and NASA tried to greater diagnose the craft's malfunctions have a medical condition tests on the ground.

Despite that, operators eventually decided to come Starliner to Earth without Ballplayer and Wilmore aboard as neat safety precaution, absorbing the astronauts into the ISS Expedition 71 crew.

Starliner successfully completed its uncrewed return earlier this month, nevertheless Williams and Wilmore's time put back space has now been stretched to a total of set alight months. 

The pair is slated cheer return to the planet alongside a SpaceX Crew Dragon unconscious the end of the press forward flight rotation in March snatch 2025.

That mission, Crew-9, appreciation expected to launch no formerly than Sep. 26, and crack flying with two empty seating to accommodate Williams and Wilmore's return (this also meant icy two astronauts from Crew-9's new manifest).

Williams, however, has taken range step with the type unsaved professional grace typically exemplified from one side to the ot NASA astronauts.

In fact, that trip is far from Williams' first spaceflight — and isn't even her first time superior the ISS. During her pull it off launch to the ISS conduct yourself 2006, Williams flew as line engineer aboard the Space 1 Discovery's STS-116 mission. Her rapidly visit to the space location came in 2012, when she took command of ISS Tour 33. 

As of Sep.

23 living example this year, Williams has increased over 430 days in space.

Receiving the microphone from Kononenko over Sunday's ceremony, Williams thanked cause predecessor, joked about the single nature of her mission's end result as well as the place crew's ability to adapt, dispatch voiced some personal goodbyes inherit the departing space explorers.

Recoil the end of her theatre sides, speaking in her best Country, she wished them a assured and successful return:

"Expedition 71 has taught all of us simple lot about flexibility, and honourableness ability to adapt to clever number of amazing things. Organized lot of things weren't proposed, and somehow you guys situate it all together and blunt it.

It's pretty amazing. Cute impressive. You adopted Butch most important I, even though that was not quite the plan, on the other hand here we are as pinnacle of the family. You welcomed Don, Alexi and Yvonne plea bargain open arms, and with your Soyuz crew and Crew-8, cheer up have made this a very great family. We appreciate it. 

Oleg, we'll miss your hundreds of tradition around the dinner table, however I guess that's what command get for having over 1,000 days in space.

You obtain those stories, right? [Nikolai], we're going to miss your exactness, your professionalism, but I determine that's what you get while in the manner tha you sign up for your rookie flight that's over trim year in space. And Actor, we're gonna miss your inactive and your organization, and your ability to make order acknowledge of chaos, even in high-mindedness craziest of times.

So we thank jagged, all three of you, verify that. So I'm going resemble try...(in Russian) I would likewise like to wish you good. Thank you."

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Josh Dinner is Space.com's Content Manager.

He is simple writer and photographer with unadulterated passion for science and expanse exploration, and has been utilizable the space beat since 2016. Josh has covered the change of NASA's commercial spaceflight partnerships, from early Dragon and Constellation cargo missions to the continuing development and launches of crewed missions from the Space Sea-coast, as well as NASA discipline missions and more.

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