NASA’s two astronauts, who had been stuck in space, returned to Earth on Tuesday aboard a SpaceX spacecraft, bringing an end to a dramatic mission that started with a problematic Boeing test flight over nine months ago.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams said their goodbyes to the International Space Station, where they had been living since last spring. They departed in a SpaceX capsule, accompanied by two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the early hours and was on course for a splashdown off the Florida coast by the evening, depending on weather conditions.
The two astronauts initially expected to spend only about a week in space after launching aboard Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. However, multiple issues arose during their journey to the space station, prompting NASA to send the Starliner back empty and transfer the test pilots to a SpaceX capsule, delaying their return until February. Further complications with the SpaceX capsule pushed their homecoming back by another month.
The arrival of their relief crew on Sunday meant that Wilmore and Williams could finally return. NASA decided to send them home a bit earlier than planned due to an uncertain weather forecast later in the week. They departed alongside NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who had arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall, with two empty seats saved for the Starliner crew.
“We’ll miss you, but have a great journey home,” said NASA’s Anne McClain as the capsule drifted away 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the Pacific.
Their ordeal captured global attention, offering a new perspective on the phrase “stuck at work.” While other astronauts have spent more time in space over the years, none had to face such a prolonged mission with so much uncertainty or see their time in space extended by such a significant margin.
Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from being guests to full-fledged members of the station crew, conducting experiments, repairing equipment, and even performing spacewalks together. During their time in space, Williams set a new record for the most time spent on spacewalks by a female astronaut, with 62 hours over nine spacewalks.
Both astronauts had previous experience aboard the station and were familiar with its operations. They refreshed their training before their launch. Williams became the station’s commander three months into their mission and held the position until earlier this month.
Their mission took an unexpected turn in late January when President Donald Trump urged SpaceX founder Elon Musk to speed up the astronauts’ return, attributing the delay to the Biden administration. With the new SpaceX capsule for the replacement crew still not ready, SpaceX used a previously flown capsule, which expedited the return by a few weeks.
Amidst the political controversy, Wilmore and Williams remained composed during public appearances from orbit, refraining from placing blame and emphasizing their support for NASA’s decisions from the outset.
After the space shuttle program ended, NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing to provide transportation for astronauts to and from the space station. This partnership was designed to have two competing U.S. companies until the station is decommissioned in 2030 and re-enters the atmosphere. By that time, the station will have been in orbit for over three decades. The plan is to replace it with privately-operated stations, allowing NASA to focus on missions to the Moon and Mars.
Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams expressed that they didn’t mind the extended time in space, as it reminded them of their military experiences. However, they acknowledged that the long deployment was challenging for their families.
Wilmore, 62, was unable to be there for most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school, while his older daughter is currently in college. Williams, 59, could only stay in touch with her mother through internet calls from space. Both astronauts will have to wait until they are off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before finally reuniting with their loved ones.