Two astronauts, Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for more than six months, recently offered an update on their situation in 2025.
The pair, who launched in June 2024 for an eight-day mission, encountered unexpected complications when docking their Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the ISS. The spacecraft, which was scheduled to return to Earth in September, developed a technical issue on its journey to the station, preventing it from safely returning the astronauts. As a result, they were left aboard the ISS for an extended period, awaiting the next available opportunity to return.
Since then, the astronauts have been waiting for a crew handover, but due to delays with the SpaceX Dragon capsule, which was supposed to carry them home, their return has been postponed. NASA recently announced that the rescue mission planned for February has been delayed by at least a month. The delay is a result of fabrication and testing issues with the Dragon capsule, and officials have emphasized the importance of ensuring the spacecraft’s readiness.
Despite the prolonged stay, Wilmore and Williams have made the most of their time in space. They have shared images of their crew celebrating Christmas on the ISS, prompting curiosity about where they got the festive decorations. The two astronauts, along with fellow crew members, continue to carry out important tasks on the station while they wait for their ride home.
During a live video event on January 8, 2025, Wilmore and Williams addressed the media, offering more insight into their experience. When asked if they felt like “castaways,” referring to the 2000 movie Cast Away where Tom Hanks plays a man stranded on a desert island, Williams replied that they didn’t feel like castaways but admitted, “Eventually we wanna go home, we left our families a little while ago.” She added that despite the longing to return home, they still have important work to do before they can leave.
Over the past six months, the astronauts have missed significant events on Earth, including the U.S. election, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. They also shared that they had not been able to witness the California wildfires.
Food supplies were initially a concern for the astronauts, but NASA recently confirmed that the ISS received two resupply missions, bringing vital supplies such as food, water, clothes, and oxygen. Special items were also included for the crew to celebrate the holidays in space.
As the astronauts continue their work, they remain patiently waiting for the delayed mission to bring them back home, along with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The ongoing situation serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks of long-duration space missions and the importance of international cooperation in ensuring astronauts’ safety and well-being.
