NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after an unexpected nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their journey concluded with a splashdown off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. EDT on March 18, 2025.
Mission Extension Due to Technical Issues
Originally, Williams and Wilmore embarked on an eight-day test flight to the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule. However, a malfunction in the spacecraft’s thrusters necessitated an extended stay on the station. NASA opted to delay their return until a safe solution was identified, resulting in a mission duration of over nine months.
Return Journey Aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon
The astronauts’ return was facilitated by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, which undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT on March 18. Accompanying Williams and Wilmore were NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who joined them for the descent to Earth.
Post-Splashdown Procedures
Following the successful splashdown, recovery teams swiftly retrieved the crew. Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to undergo medical evaluations in Houston before reuniting with their families. Despite the mission’s unforeseen challenges, both astronauts maintained a positive outlook, continuing their scientific research and station maintenance tasks throughout their extended stay.
Williams’ Record-Breaking Achievement
This mission marked a significant milestone for Suni Williams, bringing her cumulative time in space to 608 days—the second-highest for any U.S. astronaut.
The successful return of Williams and Wilmore underscores NASA’s commitment to astronaut safety and the agency’s ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges during space missions.
