Fascinating reason it’s taking 17 hours to bring home stranded astronauts despite 3.5 hours travel time for Russian cosmonauts

While it might not seem too strange that it’s taking NASA 17 hours to return stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth, comparisons to a previous Russian Soyuz capsule that took just 3.5 hours for the ‘same’ journey have many asking questions.

What’s almost guaranteed though is that the 17-hour journey will go by in a flash for Williams and Wilmore, who have been ‘stuck’ on board the International Space Station (ISS) for 285 days now, despite their expected stay being just eight days.

After technical issues arose with both their Boeing Starliner spacecraft and the SpaceX rocket that was scheduled to bring them back, the pair are finally on their way back home after the unexpected delay in space.

It’ll take the SpaceX Crew Dragon around 17 hours to return from the ISS back to Earth (NASA)

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft departed from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EST today, after the Crew-10 astronauts successfully completed their handover process, allowing the stranded pair to make their way back to Earth.

NASA have officially confirmed the time that they’re expected to splash into the ocean off the coast of Florida, and it’s just a few minutes shy of 17 hours.

However, as reported by the Economic Times, a Russian Soyuz capsule last year managed to do what is essentially the same journey in just 3.5 hours, cutting down the travel time by roughly 80%, but the reason behind the wild difference is fascinating.

Returning from the International Space Station – or frankly anywhere in space – is a complicated and dangerous process, and thus a number of different variables have to be considered by scientists behind the missions.

First and foremost, their SpaceX craft must slow down enough from the ISS’ 28,000 km/h orbit of the Earth in order to drop out of it, but this becomes challenging when you’re trying to land in a very specific place.

On top of this, the ideal landing spots can be required to change at any moment due to shifts in weather, ocean currents, and the location of recovery ships, and thus rushing into things is probably the worst thing you can do to ensure the safety of the astronauts on board.

Spacecrafts also experience extreme temperatures as they break through the atmosphere which are caused by air resistance, so the flights are slowed down through the use of parachutes to ensure that things don’t get too hot.

Once everything has gone to plan the spacecraft is then ready to land into the sea, but in the case of the Soyuz capsule it took a more direct route towards Earth, disregarding many of the controlling and safety measures put in place by NASA and SpaceX.

The Soyuz MS-26 took just 3.5 hours to return from the ISS to Earth (NASA)

This is slightly more dangerous, and is undoubtedly a more uncomfortable experience for the astronauts on board, but as you can see in the vast difference in times it does make the whole process a lot quicker.

Based on the ISS altitude of around 420 km (261 miles), the Crew Dragon capsule would have to travel at 15 miles per hour to do the journey in 17 hours, whereas the Soyuz capsule would be at around 75 miles per hour.

Featured Image Credit: Joe Raedle / Staff / Getty

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Insane amount of money it likely cost SpaceX to launch rescue crew to ISS for ‘stranded’ NASA astronauts

Launching a rocket isn’t cheap

The end is finally in sight.

The Falcon 9 successfully lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:04 p.m. EDT on Friday (14 March), marking the long-awaited rescue mission for NASA astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams.

Onboard the Dragon capsule are Crew-10’s four astronauts: NASA’s Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain, Roscosmos astronaut Kirill Peskov, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Takuya Onishi.

Following a couple of days handover, Williams and Wilmore are due back on Earth after an unexpectedly long mission.

The Falcon 9 blasted off on Friday. NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty

SpaceX had originally planned to launch the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft in February before being pushed back until March.

Both missions were aborted last minute due to technical issues with the rocket’s clamp arm and hydraulics of the launch tower, respectively.

However, third time lucky, everything went as planned as many watched the Falcon 9 blast off on Friday.

Wilmore and Williams are to be transported home with another American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, which arrived at the ISS early on Sunday.

Now that Wilmore and Williams are finally heading home, you might be wondering – how much did this mission actually cost?

Getting to orbit has become more cost-efficient over the years, thanks to reusable rockets and advancements in spaceflight technology. However, when human passengers are involved, things get considerably more expensive.

Turns out, according to Wikipedia, standard Falcon 9 launch costs around $69.75 million as of 2024.

Williams and Wilmore have been stranded on the ISS for over nine months. MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO / Contributor / Getty

But when you add the Crew Dragon capsule, which is necessary for carrying astronauts, the cost jumps to approximately $140 million per launch.

Why’s that?

Well, the Crew Dragon capsule increases the total mass of the rocket, meaning there is less room for cargo. The spacecraft is also packed with extra safety systems, life support and human-rated components, which drive up costs.

The Falcon 9 is capable of carrying a little over 13,000 pounds when human passengers are onboard.

To put it into perspective, the cost per pound for a crewed launch is about $10,000.

The cost of launching a rocket isn’t cheap – and probably never will be.

But with the combined efforts of private and public space explorers, launches have become more cost-effective.

For example, Elon Musk’s space company has made multiple missions possible with the same hardware by exploring reusable rockets.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has developed two reusable rocket systems: the New Shepard for suborbital flights and the New Glenn for orbital missions, both designed for vertical take-off and landing.

Featured Image Credit: NASA / Handout / Getty

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SpaceX’s huge setback that led to delay in rescue mission of ‘stranded astronauts’ on the ISS

A late twist has further delayed the stranded astronauts’ return to Earth

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was forcibly delayed right before it was about to take off, preventing the rescue mission from commencing and once again delaying the return of stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS).

Turns out that even when you’ve got the go-ahead and think that you’re ready to complete a long-awaited space launch, things can still go wrong and delay the procedure at the last minute.

The Falcon 9 launch was aborted at the last minute due to issues with the landing pad (X/@SpaceX)

Following US President Donald Trump’s request for Elon Musk to ‘go get’ stranded pair Williams and Wilmore from the ISS, the SpaceX CEO has incessantly pushed the blame for delays on the Biden administration.

He indicated that the last government was ‘extremely antagonistic’ towards his private space company, yet delays continue to push back the return date that those on the International Space Station have been waiting over nine months for.

Although it was supposed to be just an eight day mission, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been ‘stranded’ upon the ISS since June last year after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft experienced issues.

The Starliner was ordered to return to Earth without passengers, and their retrieval was transferred over to SpaceX, with Musk’s company now taking responsibility.

However, issues with their very own Crew-10 mission continued to delay the rescue, and it looks like things still aren’t ready to go, despite four astronauts sat in their seats ready for takeoff.

As reported by the Mirror, plans for takeoff at the Kennedy Space Center were scrapped following a problem identified with the launch pad and critical hydraulic system, and a SpaceX commentator indicated that the launch won’t go ahead “unless we know we can do so safely and reliably.”

Precautions are vitally important just under a week after the company’s Starship 8 test launch saw the rocket burst into flames before crashing back down onto Earth.

Following the delay, SpaceX has announced that they are targeting “no earlier than Friday, March 14 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s 10th operational human spaceflight mission,” with a reserve backup also scheduled for the day after in case there are any further issues.

Many on social media are offering wishes of safety and good luck for this second launch attempt, and hopefully it will go off without any issues, letting Crew-10 begin operations and returning Williams and Wilmore from their extended stay.

Unfortunately for the ‘stranded’ pair, they won’t be able to immediately return to normal life as they will be immediately transferred to a medical rehabilitation center where they will undergo physical tests for around six weeks.

This is due to the effect that such a lengthy stay in space has on the body, as even strenuous daily exercise isn’t enough to avoid muscle loss, making simple actions like learning to walk again challenging for astronauts.

Featured Image Credit: Brandon Bell / Staff / Getty

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How stranded NASA astronauts are spending their time onboard the International Space Station as SpaceX rescue is delayed

The delay has pushed back their stay by another couple of days

Much like experiencing a delay at the airport, it’s only natural to wonder what stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been up to during their extended wait upon the International Space Station (ISS).

Departing in June 2024 in what was only supposed to take around eight days, the pair have now been ‘stuck’ up in space for over nine months as their return flights kept getting delayed over and over again.

While Elon Musk and President Trump have blamed the previous Biden administration for deliberately not bringing them back, SpaceX’s recent delay shows that the situation is far more complicated than they are suggesting.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stranded on the ISS since June 2024, with recent delays pushing their return back even further (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Initially their Boeing Starliner spacecraft had to be sent back to Earth unmanned after it experienced technical faults, after which the SpaceX flight that would then bring them back also had major delays.

Everyone thought that the Falcon 9 launch would finally bring them back on Wednesday, but an eleventh hour fault meant that this has now been delayed to 7:03 p.m. ET today (Friday, March 14), with a backup scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) if any issues pop up once more.

282 days is an awful long time though, and the pair have likely long since completed the mission that saw them rocketed up to the International Space Station in the first place, leaving many to wonder what they’ve been up to in order to pass the time.

Their initial expedition, as reported by LADbible, revolved around ultrasound machines and how they affected the human body while in space. However, they’ve also been tasked with maintaining the ISS (despite it nearing its end-of-life), including work on the toilet system, which isn’t exactly the glamor of space travel that you might expect.

Previously they have managed to conduct a number of spacewalks though, including a record-breaking effort by Williams. One amateur photographer even managed to snap them in the act in a staggering image, and that’s likely made the excruciating wait more than worth it for the pair.

Both have conducted spacewalks in their time upon the ISS, which they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise (YouTube/NASA)

Their mission will be far from over even after they land back on Earth though, as they’ll be both immediately stretchered to a medical facility where they’ll have to undertake a six-week physical rehabilitation program.

This is due to the effects that living in low gravity for such a long stretch of time has on the body, as you end up far weaker and can struggle to walk without proper exercise and rehab – even though both engaged in regular strenuous exercise while on board the ISS.

They’ll also have to get used to other stranger realities of life back on Earth, including an adjustment period after their skin has turned ‘baby-like’.

Hopefully the wait will have been worth it though, as Williams in particular has expressed the difficulties of being away from her family while stranded in space.

Featured Image Credit: NASA

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Astronaut stranded in space for 9 months says she’s ‘trying to remember how to walk’ as Elon Musk vows to bring her home

Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore have been stranded for 281 days

Stranded astronaut Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams says she’s trying to ‘remember how to walk’ after spending nine months in space.

Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore were originally sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024 for what was meant to be just an eight-day mission.

However, due to technical issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, they’ve been stuck in orbit for 281 days and counting.

The pair have been stranded in space since June 2024 (MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/Contributor/Getty Images)

The latest rescue mission to bring the pair home on Wednesday (March 12) was aborted at the last minute when Elon Musk’s space company reported a hydraulic system issue in the launch tower.

This follows another postponed launch in February, which was delayed due to a problem with the rocket’s clamp arms.

While astronauts go through rigorous training (like ‘death simulations’) to prepare for spaceflight, many people don’t realize how much they have to adjust when coming back to Earth.

Without gravity, simple everyday tasks like walking, sitting, or even lying down aren’t as easy as they are back here.

Of course, your body gets used to this over time, but that makes reintegration into ‘normal’ life even harder, and stranded astronaut Suni Williams has explained her own experiences of that.

“I’ve been up here long enough right now I’ve been trying to remember how to walk,” Williams told students at Needham High School, which she herself attended, as reported by People.

“I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down. You don’t have to. You can just close your eyes and float where you are right here.”

The astronauts have spent nine months on the International Space Station (SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images)

The two NASA astronauts have had to spend holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving in space and even resort to eating soup made out of their own urine – an unappealing but probable standard part of ISS life. Yet their biggest challenges might still be ahead of them.

Despite remaining positive and some experts claiming that they are ‘not stranded,’ many have worried about the pair’s health state. Photos have been released showing their gaunt physical appearance however, NASA has reassured everyone that they’re both okay.

Williams also admitted that she never expected to spend this much time in space and that it was ‘a little bit of a shock.’ She added: “We knew that it would be probably a month or so, honestly. But the extended stay was just a little bit different.”