NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned to Earth after a nine-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS), landing in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Tuesday following prolonged delays due to technical failures on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
The pair, who launched in June aboard Starliner for what was meant to be an eight-day test mission, became stranded on the ISS after propulsion issues grounded their return. NASA ultimately decided they would return as part of the agency’s routine crew rotation schedule, using SpaceX’s capsule instead of the troubled Boeing craft.
On Tuesday morning, Wilmore and Williams undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET (0505 GMT) alongside two other astronauts. Their spacecraft, part of NASA’s Crew-9 mission, re-entered Earth's atmosphere around 5:45 p.m. ET before safely splashing down off Florida’s Gulf Coast ten minutes later.
"What a ride," Crew-9 commander Nick Hague said upon landing. "I see a capsule full of grins, ear to ear."
NASA’s recovery team hoisted the spacecraft out of the water and transported the astronauts to shore, where they will undergo medical evaluations at Johnson Space Center in Houston before reuniting with their families.
The extended mission caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who called for an earlier return and accused the previous administration of "abandoning" the astronauts in space—claims made without evidence. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, echoed the call for their return.
Boeing’s Starliner, originally designed to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, now faces an uncertain future after the spacecraft’s technical issues forced NASA to rely solely on SpaceX for human spaceflight missions.
During their 286 days in orbit—far longer than the average six-month ISS mission—Wilmore and Williams conducted scientific research, station maintenance, and spacewalks. Williams, marking her third spaceflight, has now spent 608 days in space, the second most for any U.S. astronaut after Peggy Whitson’s 675 days.
NASA delayed their return to Earth until their replacements from Crew-10 arrived last Friday to maintain station staffing levels.
Williams, speaking before departure, said she was eager to return home. "It's been a roller coaster for [my family], probably more so than for us," she said, looking forward to reuniting with her two dogs.
A highly accurate blood test that uses artificial intelligence to detect multiple cancers from just a few drops of blood is now entering clinical trials across the UK’s National Health Service.
A magnitude-6.3 earthquake jolted Ecuador’s Pacific coast near Esmeraldas early Friday, sending residents into the streets but causing no immediate damage or tsunami alert, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
U.S. President Donald Trump told *Time* on Friday that he and China’s Xi Jinping are negotiating a tariff deal and have spoken by phone—an account Beijing continues to challenge.
A top envoy from President Donald Trump’s administration arrived in Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, just hours after a high-ranking Russian general was assassinated in a rare car bomb attack in the capital.
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
George Santos, a former U.S. congressman, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiyy said Kyiv cannot reclaim Crimea by force, as tensions grow over Trump’s peace plan proposal.
A Wisconsin judge has been charged with obstruction after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in her courthouse.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
George Santos, a former U.S. congressman, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiyy said Kyiv cannot reclaim Crimea by force, as tensions grow over Trump’s peace plan proposal.
A Wisconsin judge has been charged with obstruction after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in her courthouse.
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
George Santos, a former U.S. congressman, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiyy said Kyiv cannot reclaim Crimea by force, as tensions grow over Trump’s peace plan proposal.
A Wisconsin judge has been charged with obstruction after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in her courthouse.
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