Nine months instead of eight days

The SpaceX capsule reached the space station at 12:04 PM ET – about 29 hours after its launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On board were four new crew members from the USA, Japan, and Russia, who are now taking over from the previous crew.

Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, after a brief handover phase. There will be a total of eleven people on the ISS until their departure.

During their unexpectedly long stay, Williams and her team conducted over 150 scientific experiments – including on plant irrigation and astronaut training methods. Williams described the experience as “unique,” but emphasized that she was looking forward to finally feeling weather changes again: “When I walk my dogs, it can be raining, windy, or hot. I look forward to experiencing all that on Earth again.”

The original plan was for Williams and Wilmore to return with the Boeing Starliner after just eight days. However, problems with the engines and helium leaks forced NASA to disqualify the capsule for the return journey in August.

The malfunction is another setback for Boeing, which is already under heavy regulatory pressure – not least due to the safety issues with the 737 Max. The delay raises questions about Boeing's ability to gain a foothold in the privately organized space industry, where companies like SpaceX are now leading the way.

Boeing rejected the claim that the astronauts were "stranded" and emphasized that the delay was "not a malfunction." Analysts, on the other hand, see the ongoing issues as a symbol of the company's weaknesses in space travel.