NASA Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams Returned

After spending nine months in space, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally made their way back to Earth. Their SpaceX Dragon Freedom capsule made a dramatic return, blazing through the atmosphere before deploying four parachutes to ensure a smooth splashdown off the Florida coast, near Tallahassee.

As the spacecraft floated in the ocean, a pod of dolphins was seen circling the area. A recovery ship promptly hoisted the capsule from the water, and the astronauts emerged, smiling and waving, as they were assisted out of the hatch. They were accompanied by fellow crew members, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Grebyonkin, who had arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in December as part of a NASA and SpaceX rescue mission.

Originally, Wilmore and Williams were scheduled for an eight-day mission, but their stay extended dramatically due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule—the spacecraft that had carried them to the ISS. The Starliner encountered propulsion system problems, making it too risky for their return. As a result, the spacecraft was sent back to Earth unmanned in September, leaving the astronauts to wait for an alternative ride home.

NASA eventually arranged for them to return on the next available flight—a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that reached the ISS in late September. Since that mission was planned as a six-month stay, Wilmore and Williams remained in orbit far longer than they had originally expected.

The 17-hour journey home marked the end of their 286-day stay in space, where they completed over 4,500 orbits and traveled more than 121 million miles (195 million kilometers). Their capsule landed at 5:57 PM ET on Tuesday (3:27 AM IST, Wednesday).

SpaceX Mission Control in California greeted them with a message:
"On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home."

As they exited the heat-scorched capsule, the astronauts waved and smiled at the cameras before being transferred to reclining stretchers for routine medical evaluations—a standard procedure after prolonged exposure to zero gravity.

Now that the astronauts are back on Earth, they will undergo NASA’s 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program, designed to help them readjust to gravity. Spending extended time in space affects the human body, leading to bone density loss, muscle deterioration, altered blood circulation, and vision changes due to fluid shifts.

British astronaut Tim Peake described the challenge of returning to gravity:

"Your body feels great in space—it’s like a holiday. Your heart, muscles, and bones have an easy time in zero gravity. But the real challenge begins when you return to Earth. Those first few days can be extremely tough. That’s why astronauts maintain strict exercise routines in space—not just for their time up there, but to prepare for the demands of Earth's gravity."

Despite the unexpected extension, Wilmore and Williams made the most of their time at the ISS, engaging in scientific research, experiments, and spacewalks. Williams, in particular, set a new record as the woman with the most hours spent outside the space station on spacewalks.

By the time of their return, Williams had logged a total of 608 cumulative days in space, making her the second most-experienced U.S. astronaut in history, just behind Peggy Whitson’s 675-day record. Meanwhile, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko holds the world record for the longest cumulative time spent in space at 878 days.

The successful return of the astronauts did not go unnoticed in political circles. The White House credited former President Donald Trump for the mission, stating on X (formerly Twitter):

"PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months. Today, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to @ElonMusk, @SpaceX, and @NASA!"

Despite being well-prepared for their extended stay, both Wilmore and Williams shared their excitement about returning home. Speaking to CBS News last month, Williams expressed what she missed the most:

"I can't wait to see my family, my dogs, and to jump into the ocean. It’ll be amazing to feel Earth again."

With their historic mission now behind them, the astronauts will soon travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where they will undergo further medical assessments and debriefings before reuniting with their families.