Tue Feb 18 23:58:49 UTC 2025: ## ISS Astronauts, Including Massachusetts Native, Headed Home Earlier Than Expected
**Cape Cod, MA –** Two astronauts, including Massachusetts native Sunita L. Williams, stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June due to malfunctions with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, are expected to return to Earth earlier than previously anticipated. NASA announced a new return date of March 12, 2025, moving up the previously scheduled April 2025 return.
The Starliner’s return has been delayed three times since its June 5, 2024 launch. Initial problems included helium leaks in the propulsion system and the failure of five thrusters. While four thrusters were repaired, one remains deactivated for the remainder of the mission.
Williams, a Needham native and Needham High School alumna, is serving as pilot on the Crew Flight Test mission—the first crewed flight for the Starliner. Her sister resides in Falmouth, MA, adding a local connection to the story. Williams, a veteran of two space missions, has even managed to run the Falmouth Road Race twice while in orbit, using a treadmill aboard the ISS.
The extended stay, originally intended to be an eight-day mission, is not expected to pose significant health risks to the astronauts, according to Dr. Simeon Barber of the Open University. While the delay means the astronauts will miss another holiday season at home, Dr. Barber noted that the ISS is “where they love to be.”
First Piper 