Two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, safely returned to Earth on Wednesday after spending more than nine months in space.
Their journey, which was only supposed to last about a week, turned into a 286-day mission due to technical issues. They splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida in a SpaceX capsule, bringing an end to their extended adventure.
Wilmore and Williams originally launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule on June 5, 2023, for what was meant to be a short test flight. However, serious problems forced NASA to send the Starliner back empty, leaving the astronauts stuck on the International Space Station. They eventually transferred to a SpaceX spacecraft, but more delays pushed their return even further.
During their mission, the two astronauts circled Earth 4,576 times and traveled 195 million kilometres. They took on full crew responsibilities at the space station, conducting scientific experiments, fixing equipment, and even performing spacewalks. Williams set a record for the most time spent spacewalking by a female astronaut, logging 62 hours across nine spacewalks.
Their return also attracted political attention, with former President Donald Trump urging SpaceX founder Elon Musk to speed up the process. Despite the delays and challenges, Wilmore and Williams remained focused on their mission, expressing support for NASA’s decisions.
NASA relies on both SpaceX and Boeing to transport astronauts to and from the space station, which is set to be retired by 2030. Wilmore and Williams, both former Navy captains, said they didn’t mind the extended stay, though it was tough being away from family. Wilmore missed much of his daughter’s senior year, while Williams stayed in touch with loved ones through internet calls.
Now that they are back, the astronauts will undergo medical checks before reuniting with their families in Houston.
