After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have triumphantly returned to Earth.
In the spring of 2024, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore embarked on a mission aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, which was meant to be a short, eight-day crewed test flight. However, unforeseen technical difficulties changed the course of their journey.
The Unforeseen Extension
The mission began smoothly in June 2024 as Williams and Wilmore launched into space, with the plan to complete essential tests in space and return to Earth after eight days. However, once the Starliner docked with the International Space Station (ISS), the crew encountered a critical issue: the spacecraft’s propulsion system malfunctioned. This system is crucial for safely slowing the capsule during re-entry, and its failure made it unsafe for the astronauts to return home. As a result, NASA made the decision to send the Starliner back to Earth unmanned in September 2024, while Williams and Wilmore remained aboard the ISS until a new plan could be arranged.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson defended the decision, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to astronaut safety. “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine,” Nelson stated. “The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the ISS and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety.”
Life on the ISS
During their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore fully integrated into the ISS crew, contributing to over 150 experiments and dedicating around 900 hours to research. Their work focused on advancing future deep-space missions, including NASA’s goal to land humans on Mars by the end of the decade. In addition to scientific research, they performed routine maintenance and conducted spacewalks to upgrade the station’s systems, helping to ensure its continued operations. Joel Montalbano, Deputy Associate Administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, highlighted that their contributions were critical to the success of NASA’s space exploration goals.
The Return Journey
When it was time to return, NASA teamed up with SpaceX to bring Williams and Wilmore back home safely. The astronauts, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, boarded the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named “Freedom.” After a 17-hour journey, the capsule successfully re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, deployed its parachutes, and splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, on March 18, 2025.
Upon landing, the astronauts emerged smiling and waving, their relief and joy evident after their long months in space. In a delightful moment, a pod of dolphins greeted the capsule as it bobbed in the ocean, adding a special touch to their return.
Adjusting to Earth
After recovering aboard the ship, the astronauts underwent standard medical evaluations to assess their adjustment to Earth’s gravity. They were given personalized footrests to help ease their re-entry into gravity. Over the next few days, they will go through a recovery process to regain their balance and strength.
Returning astronauts often experience several challenges, including dizziness, muscle deterioration, and changes in their bone density due to the lack of gravity. They may also experience “baby feet,” a condition where the skin on the feet softens and peels, causing pain when walking until the skin toughens again. Other common issues include vision problems, as fluid shifts can put pressure on the optic nerve, and mild heart shrinkage due to the lack of gravity’s demands.
NASA has a post-space rehabilitation program that gradually helps astronauts reacclimate to Earth. This includes strength training, balance exercises, and psychological support to help with the mental effects of prolonged isolation in space.
Clarifying the “Stranded” Narrative
Throughout the mission, some media outlets and observers speculated that Williams and Wilmore were “stranded” in space. Both astronauts and NASA officials quickly refuted these claims. Wilmore stated, “We came up prepared to stay long even though we planned to stay short; that is what we do in human spaceflight.” NASA emphasized that the decision to delay their return was made with safety as the top priority, ensuring the crew’s secure passage back.
NASA Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox explained that while various return options were considered, none were viable due to budget constraints and the need to maintain ISS operations. “They’re an important part of maintaining the station,” Bowersox said, underscoring the importance of their work.
Final Statistics
Williams and Wilmore’s extended mission lasted nearly 285 days in space, making them the sixth longest-serving NASA astronauts for a single mission. Their time in space included 4,576 orbits around Earth. They came just shy of Peggy Whitson’s 289-day record and well behind Frank Rubio’s 371-day spaceflight, the longest in NASA’s history.
Their mission marked an important milestone in NASA’s continued exploration of space, contributing to vital research and helping to pave the way for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.