Wilmore and Williams flew to the orbital lab in June final 12 months, on what was purported to be a days-long roundtrip to check out Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed flight.
However the spaceship developed propulsion issues and was deemed unfit to fly them again, as a substitute returning empty.
Ex-Navy pilots Wilmore and Williams, 62 and 59 respectively, have been reassigned to the NASA-SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which noticed a Dragon spacecraft fly to the ISS final September with a staff of two, slightly than the same old 4, to make room for the “stranded” pair.
Then, early on Sunday, a aid staff referred to as Crew-10 docked with the station, their arrival met with broad smiles and hugs as they floated by the hatch.
Crew-10’s arrival cleared the best way for Wilmore and Williams to depart, together with Hague and Gorbunov.
After massive hugs from the crew remaining on the ISS, the quartet entered the capsule and closed its hatch on Tuesday.
“Colleagues and pricey mates who stay on the station … we’ll be ready for you. Crew-9 goes house”, Hague stated.
