Two NASA astronauts who embarked on a short-term mission to the International Space Station (ISS) last summer but ended up staying for nine months have finally returned to Earth.
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed down in a SpaceX Dragon capsule off the Gulf Coast of Florida shortly before 6 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. Their spacecraft had undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT on Monday. They were accompanied by fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on their journey home.
Originally, Williams and Wilmore launched aboard a Boeing spacecraft last June for what was planned as an eight-day mission. However, technical problems with the Boeing Starliner capsule prevented their return, leading them to be incorporated into the station’s regular crew rotation.
Tuesday’s landing marked the end of a prolonged and politically charged space journey that raised concerns about Boeing’s reliability in fulfilling NASA contracts.
Williams and Wilmore’s mission began on June 5, when they lifted off aboard the new Boeing Starliner capsule as part of NASA’s commercial crew program. This initiative enlists private companies to transport astronauts and cargo to and from the ISS. SpaceX, the other contractor, has been successfully carrying out missions for NASA for years.
The Boeing Starliner’s launch was its first human-crewed flight, but the mission faced multiple setbacks. The spacecraft reached the ISS but suffered several technical issues, including multiple helium leaks and the failure of some thrusters.
Given these malfunctions, NASA opted not to use Starliner for the return trip, choosing instead to bring it back to Earth without a crew. As a result, Williams and Wilmore remained aboard the ISS until their replacements could arrive.
Their relief crew, consisting of two NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, docked at the ISS early Sunday morning and were welcomed aboard by the station’s existing crew.
Beyond technical challenges, Williams and Wilmore’s extended stay became entangled in political debates.
After taking office in January, former President Donald Trump claimed he had asked his adviser and SpaceX founder Elon Musk to “go get” the stranded astronauts, alleging that the Biden administration had “virtually abandoned” them in space.
In reality, NASA had planned Williams and Wilmore’s return well in advance. The SpaceX Dragon capsule that transported them home had been docked at the ISS since September, with two vacant seats reserved for their return.
NASA stated that the astronauts were integrated into the station’s crew for logistical and budgetary reasons. During their extended stay, they conducted various experiments and participated in spacewalks.
Musk asserted in February that he had previously offered the Biden administration an earlier return using SpaceX but claimed the administration declined the offer for “political reasons.”
However, former NASA officials, including ex-NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, denied knowledge of such an offer.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Monday, thanked NASA’s acting Administrator Janet Petro and the agency’s staff for coordinating the astronauts’ return, while criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the situation.