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NASA Astronauts Return to Earth after 286 Days

  • 19 Mar 2025

On 18th March 2025, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams safely returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule after spending nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

Key Points

  • Extended Mission Due to Starliner Issues: Wilmore and Williams launched in June 2024 on Boeing’s Starliner for an eight-day mission, but propulsion system issues prolonged their stay.
  • Return on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon: They returned as part of NASA’s Crew-9 mission, splashing down safely off Florida’s coast.
  • NASA’s Contingency Planning: The astronauts were integrated into the ISS crew rotation schedule, conducting over 150 experiments while awaiting their return.
  • Record-Breaking Space Duration: Wilmore and Williams spent 286 days in space, with Williams’ cumulative 608 days now ranking second among U.S. astronauts.
  • Boeing’s Setback: NASA may require an additional uncrewed Starliner test flight before it is certified for astronaut missions.