NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after an extended 286-day mission, landing on March 19, 2025 to cheers from family, colleagues, and space enthusiasts. Their return concludes a mission that was initially scheduled to last just eight days but was prolonged due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
The astronauts had embarked on the Starliner’s first crewed test flight in June 2024. However, due to complications, the spacecraft returned to Earth empty, leaving Williams and Wilmore aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for an unexpectedly long stay. In September 2024, a SpaceX capsule—originally planned for a four-person crew—was sent to the ISS with only two astronauts, allowing room for Williams and Wilmore’s eventual return.
“It is awesome to have Crew-9 home—just a beautiful landing,” said Joel Montalbano, Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. He commended the astronauts for their resilience and acknowledged SpaceX as a “great partner” in facilitating their safe return.
During their extended mission, Williams and Wilmore conducted numerous scientific experiments and spacewalks. Notably, Williams set a record for the most hours spent outside the ISS by a female astronaut. Over the course of their mission, the pair completed 4,576 orbits of Earth and travelled an estimated 121 million miles.
Their return marks the end of an unplanned but historic chapter in space exploration.
(Compiled by Catherine Male)
