After spending an unexpected nine months in space, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally returned to Earth. Their journey home, which had initially been planned for only eight days, was dramatically extended due to technical problems with their spacecraft, Starliner, which had been used for their travel to the International Space Station (ISS).
The astronauts’ SpaceX capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere in a fast and fiery descent before deploying four parachutes to gently bring it down to a splashdown off the coast of Florida. As the capsule touched the ocean, a pod of dolphins was spotted swimming around it, adding a serene touch to the dramatic moment.
Once the capsule was lifted from the water by a recovery ship, the astronauts were helped out of the hatch by the recovery crew. The astronauts, along with their fellow crew members—astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—were visibly relieved and excited to be back on solid ground. They waved and smiled as they were assisted from the capsule.
“The crew’s doing great,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, in a press conference. “It is fantastic to see them home safe and well.”
This marks the end of a mission that was initially supposed to last just eight days but turned into a nine-month-long stay in space. The mission was extended after the spacecraft that was meant to bring the astronauts back to Earth suffered serious technical issues. Fortunately, NASA and SpaceX were able to work together to ensure the crew’s safe return, with a new spacecraft taking the astronauts home after a six-month mission.
“It is awesome to have crew 9 home, just a beautiful landing,” Joel Montalbano, NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate, said. He also took the opportunity to thank the astronauts for their resilience and flexibility throughout the mission. “SpaceX has been a great partner in getting them home,” he added.
The journey back to Earth took a total of 17 hours, and when the astronauts finally made it to dry land, they were helped onto stretchers, as is standard practice after long periods in microgravity. The astronauts will now undergo medical checks before being reunited with their families.
Astronauts spend extended periods in space in a weightless environment, and this takes a toll on the body. Bone density decreases, muscles weaken, and changes in circulation and fluid distribution affect various bodily systems, including eyesight. It will take time for the astronauts to recover fully, and they will follow an extensive exercise programme to help their bodies re-adapt to life on Earth. The recovery process can take several months, and some physical changes may persist long-term.
British astronaut Tim Peake, who spent six months aboard the ISS in 2015, reflected on the challenges of returning to Earth. “Your body feels great in space – it feels like a holiday. Your heart is having an easy time, your muscles and bones are having an easy time. You’re floating around the space station in this wonderful zero-gravity environment,” Peake said. “But you must keep up the exercise regime. Because you’re staying fit in space, not for space itself, but for when you return to the punishing gravity environment of Earth. Those first two or three days back on Earth can be really punishing.”
In interviews during their time on the ISS, both Butch and Suni expressed their preparedness for the extended mission. However, they admitted that there were a few things they were particularly looking forward to upon their return to Earth. “I’m looking forward to seeing my family, my dogs, and jumping in the ocean. That will be really nice – to be back on Earth and feel Earth,” Suni Williams said in an interview last month with CBS.
The saga of Butch and Suni’s extended stay began in June 2024, when they took part in the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Unfortunately, Starliner experienced several technical problems, which prevented it from safely returning the astronauts to Earth. In early September, an empty Starliner capsule safely returned to Earth, but that left Butch and Suni without a spacecraft to come home in.
NASA quickly arranged for a SpaceX capsule to bring the crew back to Earth, which had been scheduled for a six-month mission. But with two seats available, Butch and Suni were able to remain aboard the ISS until now. Despite the unexpected extension, the astronauts carried out several important experiments and spacewalks during their time on the ISS, including Suni Williams breaking the record for the most hours spent outside the space station by a woman.
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While the astronauts’ return has been a relief, it marks the end of what was a challenging, long-duration space mission. Their remarkable resilience has been praised, and they will soon be taken to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where they will continue to undergo medical assessments and begin their rehabilitation process.
The successful return of Butch and Suni is a testament to the dedication and teamwork of NASA, SpaceX, and their partners. It also highlights the resilience of the astronauts themselves, who endured months of unexpected challenges in space while performing valuable research for the benefit of future space missions.
As the astronauts begin the next chapter of their journey, they will no doubt cherish the moments they now get to spend with their families and loved ones, catching up on the time lost during their extended mission.
