NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have finally returned to Earth after being stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for an unprecedented nine months.
The astronauts’ journey began in June 2024, when they embarked on Boeing’s first Starliner Crew Test Flight, intending to spend only eight days on the ISS. However, a series of technical issues with the Boeing Starliner, including helium leaks and thruster failures, forced them to extend their stay indefinitely.
As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Williams and Wilmore made the most of their time on the ISS, conducting spacewalks, scientific experiments, and technology demonstrations.
Despite the challenges they faced, the astronauts remained committed to their mission, highlighting the importance of the scientific research being conducted on the orbiting lab.
Their return journey was a collaborative effort between NASA and SpaceX. Williams and Wilmore had to wait for their replacements to arrive at the ISS before departing, and their return journey was moved up by a couple of weeks due to a change in SpaceX capsules.
On March 18, 2025, Williams and Wilmore splashed down safely off the coast of Florida aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft, alongside astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Their return marks the end of an extraordinary 300-day journey that tested their resolve, adaptability, and dedication to space exploration.
