On Tuesday, NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore safely returned to Earth after spending nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Their mission, initially planned to last just eight days, was extended due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that had carried them into orbit.
Williams and Wilmore launched in June 2024 on a test flight of Boeing’s Starliner, which was intended to serve as an alternative crew transport to the ISS alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. However, problems with Starliner’s propulsion system led NASA to return the spacecraft to Earth without its crew, leaving the astronauts on the ISS for an extended stay.
After months in orbit, the astronauts finally made their way back aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS early Tuesday morning and reentered Earth’s atmosphere, slowing from over 17,000 miles per hour before deploying parachutes and splashing down off the coast of Florida in the evening.
Spending nearly 300 days in microgravity posed both expected and unforeseen challenges for the astronauts. Without the pull of Earth’s gravity, muscle atrophy and bone density loss are common concerns, even with regular exercise. Other potential effects include fluid shifts in the body, changes in vision, and increased exposure to radiation.
NASA researchers will closely monitor the astronauts’ recovery in the coming months to understand the long-term impact of their extended mission. Studies on how the human body adapts to prolonged space travel are crucial for future deep-space missions, including those to Mars.
Following their return, Williams and Wilmore, along with fellow Crew-9 members Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, were transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Medical teams will assess their physical condition and provide support as they readjust to life on Earth.
Despite the unexpected duration of their stay, the astronauts remained productive. They contributed to numerous scientific experiments, conducted maintenance work, and even participated in a spacewalk to study how Earth microbes survive in space.
The New York Times, Axios, and Al Jazeera contributed to this report.
