After an incredible nine months in space, NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams, 59, and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, 62, are finally back on Earth.
The duo safely splashed down off the coast of Florida on March 18, wrapping up a journey that tested their resilience, teamwork, and dedication to space exploration.
The astronauts’ return marked the end of an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
According to various reports, originally planned as a short eight-day stay, their mission stretched to nearly 300 days due to unexpected technical challenges.
Suni and Butch made their way back to Earth in a SpaceX Dragon capsule, accompanied by fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
After a 17-hour journey, the capsule gently landed in the waters off Florida’s coast, where a recovery boat promptly brought the astronauts back to solid ground. Their return followed the arrival of a new crew at the ISS just days earlier.
On March 16, a joint NASA and SpaceX team consisting of astronauts from the United States, Japan, and Russia reached the station to take over operations.
Suni and Butch’s mission was anything but ordinary. They originally travelled to the ISS aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft last June (2024), expecting to stay for just over a week.
However, technical issues with the Starliner, including a helium leak shortly after launch, forced NASA to send the spacecraft back to Earth without its crew. With no immediate way home, Suni and Butch extended their stay and became essential members of the ISS team.
In September, they were joined by Nick and Aleksandr, who arrived as part of the Crew-9 mission. Together, the astronauts carried out critical scientific research, station maintenance, and preparations for the arrival of Crew-10, who will now take over for the next six months.
Despite the unexpected extension of their mission, Suni and Butch maintained their focus and optimism.
They often shared updates about their work and daily life in space, aiming to keep the public informed and inspired. But their long stay wasn’t without controversy.
In early 2023, former President Donald Trump suggested that the astronauts had been “virtually abandoned” in space. Butch was quick to clear up any misconceptions during an interview with CNN in February.
“That’s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck and I get it,” he said. But that is, again, not what our human spaceflight program is about.”
He added, “We don’t feel abandoned, stuck, or stranded.”
Now that they’re back on Earth, the two astronauts will undergo medical evaluations and debriefings as they transition back to life on solid ground.
Their contributions to space exploration and their resilience during their mission will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of astronauts and space enthusiasts alike. Welcome home, Suni and Butch!