NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally concluded their unplanned nine-month stay in space, landing safely in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday evening. Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule touched down off Florida’s Panhandle coast, marking the end of a mission plagued by technical setbacks and logistical hiccups.
The duo initially launched on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5 for what was supposed to be a weeklong test flight. But propulsion leaks, thruster malfunctions, and battery issues forced NASA to extend their stay indefinitely. After months of uncertainty, they returned via SpaceX — a decision made to prioritize crew safety as Starliner remained unproven for re-entry.
Wilmore and Williams, smiling and waving post-splashdown, underwent routine medical evaluations before reuniting with their families. Their prolonged mission highlights the complexities of human spaceflight and underscores NASA’s reliance on multiple commercial partners like SpaceX.
Their departure followed the arrival of relief astronauts Nick Hague (NASA) and Alexander Gorbunov (Russia), who reached the International Space Station last fall. Weather concerns accelerated the timeline, preventing further delays tied to SpaceX capsule maintenance.
