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.

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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.

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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.

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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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