NASA astronauts Wilmore and Williams return to Earth after prolonged mission

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, landing off Florida's coast after nine months in space. Their return followed a prolonged mission that faced several challenges, including issues with Boeing's Starliner, which disrupted their initial plans for a short stay on the International Space Station (ISS).

Originally intended as an eight-day test flight, their mission in Starliner was delayed after problems with the spacecraft’s propulsion system. This led to them being included in NASA’s Crew-9 rotation, with their return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

The astronauts undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET (0505 GMT) and, after a 17-hour journey, splashed down at 5:57 p.m. ET (2157 GMT), about 50 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast. The crew, which also included two other astronauts, used parachutes to slow their descent from 17,000 mph to a safe landing speed of 17 mph.

After landing, NASA’s Steve Stich confirmed that Wilmore and Williams would undergo health checks before returning to their families. The mission had attracted political attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump calling for an expedited return, alleging political motives behind the delay. In response, NASA accelerated Crew-9’s schedule, ensuring the astronauts' return earlier than planned.

During their 286-day mission, Wilmore and Williams conducted numerous science experiments aboard the ISS. Williams, now with 608 total days in space, ranks second in U.S. astronaut history. Wilmore’s mission was his second, having previously spent time on the ISS.

Boeing's Starliner, which had hoped to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, faced further setbacks, and NASA indicated that another uncrewed test flight may be required before Starliner can regularly carry astronauts.

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