WASHINGTON – NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally returned to Earth after an extended nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The duo, originally slated for just an eight-day mission, splashed down off Florida’s coast in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Tuesday.
Their prolonged stay resulted from a series of technical failures with Boeing’s Starliner, the spacecraft initially intended to ferry them home. NASA ultimately decided to bring them back via SpaceX, turning their mission into a high-profile case of space contingency planning.
A Long-Awaited Journey Home
Wilmore and Williams, along with two other astronauts from NASA’s Crew-9 rotation mission, undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET on March 17, embarking on a 17-hour journey back to Earth. Their capsule re-entered the atmosphere around 5:45 p.m. ET, slowing from an orbital speed of 17,000 mph to just 17 mph before safely splashing down.
Earlier footage from NASA showed the astronauts in high spirits, laughing and exchanging hugs with ISS colleagues before sealing themselves in the capsule for final pre-launch checks.
Mission Delays and Political Attention
Wilmore and Williams launched aboard Starliner in June 2024 as its first crewed test flight. However, propulsion issues and other malfunctions led to repeated delays, forcing NASA to adjust its plans. Eventually, the agency opted to return them via SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, currently the only operational U.S. spacecraft for orbital missions.
The extended mission drew political attention, with former U.S. President Donald Trump criticizing NASA’s handling of their return, alleging (without evidence) that his predecessor Joe Biden “abandoned” the astronauts. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a Trump ally, also pushed for an earlier return.
Astronauts’ Next Steps
Now back on Earth, Wilmore and Williams will head to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for routine health checks before reuniting with their families. Extended time in space can impact muscle strength, vision, and overall health, so flight surgeons will monitor their recovery.
With 286 days in orbit, this mission was longer than the usual six-month ISS rotation, though it falls short of Frank Rubio’s U.S. record of 371 days in space. Williams, on her third spaceflight, now ranks second among U.S. astronauts for cumulative time in space (608 days), just behind Peggy Whitson’s 675-day record.
A Test of NASA’s Contingency Planning
Despite the delays, the astronauts continued their research and maintenance work aboard the ISS, with Williams even completing two six-hour spacewalks, including one alongside Wilmore.
Reflecting on their extended mission, Wilmore said earlier this month:
“We came prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short. That’s what your nation’s human spaceflight program is all about—planning for unknown, unexpected contingencies.”
Now back on solid ground, Williams is looking forward to reuniting with her family—and her two dogs.