Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore Finally Return to Earth After Being Stuck in Space for Nine Months

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after spending more than nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). They were supposed to stay for just eight days, but technical issues with their spacecraft left them stranded much longer than planned.

Who Are the Two Astronauts?

Sunita “Suni” Williams, 59, and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, 62, are both experienced astronauts. Williams, a retired US Navy officer, has spent a total of 322 days in space and completed nine spacewalks. Wilmore, a former U.S. Navy test pilot, first traveled to space in 2009 and had logged 178 days before this mission.

On this mission, Wilmore was the commander, and Williams was the pilot of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. 

How Did They Get Stuck?

Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner as part of its first crewed test flight. But soon after, the spacecraft experienced helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, making it unsafe for the return journey.

NASA engineers managed to fix some of the problems, but in the end, they decided it was too risky to bring the astronauts back in Starliner. Instead, they had to wait for another way home. 

How Did They Return?

Their long wait finally ended on Tuesday when they boarded a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that had been docked at the ISS since September. The spacecraft undocked at 1:05 am ET and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean just before 6 pm ET.

NASA livestreamed their departure and landing, showing their long-awaited return.

How Did They Manage for So Long?

Despite the unexpected delay, Williams and Wilmore stayed in good health. They kept up with daily exercise to maintain muscle and bone strength and continued working on space research.

They also had regular resupply missions bringing food, water, and oxygen. Over Christmas, they even enjoyed a festive meal with lobster, smoked salmon, and cranberry sauce.

In a November interview, Williams reassured everyone that they were doing well. “People who are worried about us, really, don’t worry about us… We’re a happy crew up here,” she said.

Have Astronauts Been Stuck in Space Before?

Williams and Wilmore are not the first astronauts to be stuck in space longer than planned.

In 2022, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio spent 371 days in space—setting a record for the longest US spaceflight—after his return spacecraft was damaged.

In 1991, Soviet astronaut Sergei Krikalev was stranded on the Mir space station for 311 days when the Soviet Union collapsed, leaving him in space while his home country changed completely.

Luckily for Williams and Wilmore, they are now safely back on Earth, bringing an end to their unexpected space adventure.