NASA Astronauts Return After Historic Nine-Month Mission with Splashdown Surprise
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore returned from a nine-month mission aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, greeted by dolphins at splashdown.
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NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore finally returned to Earth on Tuesday evening after spending an unexpected nine extra months aboard the International Space Station — and were greeted by dolphins when their capsule splashed down.
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Plenty of people were tuned in to livestreams of the SpaceX Dragon when it neared Earth to prepare for landing.
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Nasa employees embrace as the mission concludes safely and at long last.
ISS astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore home at last– in pictures
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NASA astronauts Williams and Wilmore got stranded on the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft that they launched into orbit on June 5, 2024.
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Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed down to Earth on Tuesday in a SpaceX capsule after being stranded in space for nine months following what should have been an eight-day mission.
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Returning to Earth does not immediately undo months of strain on astronauts’ bodies.
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Wilmore and Williams' return became a political issue for the Trump administration, with Musk previously telling Fox News host Sean Hannity on Feb. 18 that Biden left the astronauts in space for "political reasons."
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Curious dolphins welcomed NASA astronauts back to Earth after their 9-month saga stuck in space
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The Nasa pair embraced their longer-than-expected stay in space.
Astronauts Butch and Suni finally back on Earth
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Wilmore and Williams' extended mission captivated the world, redefining the phrase "stuck at work" and making "Butch and Suni" household names.
Dolphins suddenly appear next to SpaceX pod after splashdown
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Crew-9's return will mark the end of a space saga that has fascinated the public.
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Crew-9’s splashdown was the last a SpaceX Crew Dragon would do off the coast of Florida, as NASA officials announced that all future splashdowns occurring off the coast of southern California beginning with the return of Crew-10 this summer.
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Instead, Wilmore and Williams are returning on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Watch NASA astronauts return to Earth on SpaceX capsule after months on the ISS
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Wilmore and Williams’ mission was supposed to last just eight days, but problems with Boeing’s Starliner capsule prevented their release.
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The pair returns home after a momentous 286 days in space—an astronomical increase from the mere eight days that were initially planned for their mission.
After 286 Days in Space, NASA Astronauts Return to Earth with a Splash
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Summary
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule on March 18, 2025, after an unexpected nine-month mission aboard the ISS. Their mission was initially planned for eight days but extended due to a failed Boeing Starliner mission. The crew's splashdown off the Florida coast coincided with local celebrations in Williams' ancestral village in India. Notably, dolphin sightings added to the magic of their return. Health assessments indicated the astronauts were relatively healthy post-mission, and NASA is set to conduct thorough debriefings on various aspects of their extended stay in space.
Perspectives
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned safely after an extended mission aboard the International Space Station, originally planned for eight days, which turned into nine months due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
The return of Wilmore and Williams via SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft illustrates the effective collaboration between NASA and private industry partners, underscoring the importance of robust partnerships in human spaceflight.
Despite their extended stay, both astronauts expressed commitment to their scientific missions and teamwork while acknowledging the physical and psychological toll of long-duration space travel.
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