NASA Astronauts Return to Earth After Nine Months in Space
3 min read
MARCH 18,2025
After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are finally returning to Earth. The two seasoned astronauts were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to critical malfunctions in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was originally meant to bring them home. Now, they are safely end route aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
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Meet the NASA Astronauts Stranded in Space
Suni Williams, 59, and Butch Wilmore, 62, are veteran NASA astronauts with extensive spaceflight experience. Williams, the current ISS commander and a retired U.S. Navy officer, has spent 322 days in space and completed nine spacewalks. She once held the record for most spacewalks by a female astronaut until 2017.
Wilmore, a former U.S. Navy pilot, first traveled to space in 2009 on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Before this mission, he had logged 178 days in orbit. On the Boeing Starliner mission, Wilmore served as commander, while Williams was the pilot.
NASA Astronauts’ Return to Earth: When and How?
After months of delays, Williams and Wilmore undocked from the ISS at 1:05 AM ET (05:05 GMT) on Tuesday aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. They are expected to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast just before 6:00 PM ET (22:00 GMT) after a 17-hour journey.
NASA is livestreaming their departure and return, giving space enthusiasts worldwide a front-row seat to this historic mission.
NASA Astronauts Stranded: What Went Wrong?
The astronauts originally traveled to the ISS on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner for its first crewed test flight as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. However, multiple technical failures made the spacecraft unsafe for human travel.
During the 25-hour journey to the ISS, Starliner experienced helium leaks and a malfunctioning thruster. When it arrived on June 6, 2024, additional thruster failures caused further delays. Although engineers restored four of the five failed thrusters, NASA deemed the spacecraft too dangerous for the return trip. They sent it back to Earth empty, leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded.
Why Did It Take So Long to Bring Them Back?
NASA decided to bring them home aboard a SpaceX vehicle but had to wait for Crew-10 to arrive as replacements. Crew-10, which docked at the ISS on Sunday, includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian astronaut Kirill Peskov. Their arrival finally allowed Williams and Wilmore to return.
How Did They Survive Nine Months in Space?
Life aboard the ISS follows a structured routine to maintain physical and mental well-being. Williams and Wilmore exercised daily on treadmills and resistance machines to prevent muscle and bone loss. NASA and private companies regularly resupplied the station with food, water, and oxygen, ensuring they had everything they needed.
Despite the extended stay, they remained in high spirits. They even conducted a spacewalk in January and celebrated Christmas with a gourmet meal featuring smoked oysters, crab, foie gras, lobster, and salmon.
In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt in November, Williams reassured the public, saying, “We have a lot of fun up here. People who are worried about us—really, don’t worry. We’re a happy crew.”
Have Astronauts Been Stranded in Space Before?
Williams and Wilmore aren’t the first astronauts to experience extended space missions:
- Frank Rubio (2022-2023): Rubio spent 371 days in orbit, the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, after a Soyuz spacecraft failure extended his stay by six months.
- Sergei Krikalev (1991-1992): Krikalev was stranded on the now-defunct Mir space station for 311 days due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. He returned to a newly formed Russia.
The Future of Space Travel: What’s Next?
This mission highlights the challenges of space exploration and the need for reliable spacecraft. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program aims to develop private space travel, but Boeing’s Starliner setback raises concerns about future reliability. Meanwhile, SpaceX continues proving itself as a leader in space transportation.
As Williams and Wilmore return home, their story showcases human resilience, teamwork, and the unpredictability of space exploration. Their safe arrival marks the end of an incredible chapter in NASA’s history and paves the way for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
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