NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), originally planned as an eight-day journey. The pair splashed down off the Florida Panhandle on Tuesday, marking the conclusion of a dramatic and unexpected saga that captured the nation’s attention since last summer.
Williams and Wilmore, who launched to the ISS in June, were on a test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was intended to provide NASA with an alternative to SpaceX for transporting astronauts to and from orbit. However, technical issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system led to a change in plans, and NASA was forced to send the spacecraft back to Earth without a crew. Instead, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule was used to bring them back to Earth after their extended stay.
The Crew Dragon capsule detached from the space station early Tuesday morning and began its journey back to Earth, slowing from speeds of over 17,000 miles per hour. The spacecraft deployed its parachutes and safely splashed down just before 6 p.m. Eastern time. As recovery teams inspected the capsule, a pod of dolphins swam alongside, adding a surreal touch to the astronauts’ return.
Once extracted from the capsule, Williams and Wilmore, along with fellow Crew-9 mission astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, were transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Though their bodies were still adjusting to gravity after months in space, NASA officials confirmed they were in good health.
The mission highlighted SpaceX’s growing dominance in private spaceflight, contrasting with Boeing’s ongoing struggles. The astronauts’ prolonged stay, initially expected to last just eight days, sparked political commentary, particularly around President Trump’s claims that the Biden administration had “stranded” the astronauts. However, NASA officials, including Bill Nelson, emphasized that the agency’s decisions were based on operational needs, not political considerations.
In response to the controversy, Elon Musk congratulated both NASA and SpaceX teams on the safe return, while President Trump took to social media to declare that his administration had fulfilled its promise to rescue the astronauts. Nonetheless, Williams and Wilmore rejected claims they were “stranded,” instead describing their experience as challenging but rewarding.
Despite the delay, the mission ended as planned, and NASA’s plans for Crew-9’s return had been in place since August, ensuring the astronauts’ safe return at the appropriate time.
