After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, NASA astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore have triumphantly returned to Earth.
Their mission, initially slated for a brief eight-day stint, transformed into an extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to unforeseen technical challenges.
The Unexpected Extension
In June 2024, Williams and Wilmore embarked on a mission aboard Boeing's CST-100 Starliner, marking its inaugural crewed test flight.
The plan was straightforward: spend eight days in space, conduct essential tests, and return home.
However, upon docking with the ISS, the Starliner experienced propulsion system malfunctions - critical for slowing the capsule upon re-entry - rendering it unsafe for the crew's return journey, per CNN.
NASA, prioritizing astronaut safety, made the prudent decision to send the Starliner back to Earth unmanned in September 2024, leaving Williams and Wilmore aboard the ISS to await an alternative ride home.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has defended this decision, saying: “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star."
Life Aboard the ISS
During their extended tenure, Williams and Wilmore seamlessly integrated into the ISS crew, contributing significantly to the station's operations.
They participated in over 150 experiments, dedicating approximately 900 hours to research that holds promise for future deep-space missions and the quest to land humans on Mars.
Speaking at today's press conference marking the crew's return home, Joel Montalbano, Deputy Associate Administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said: “Suni and Butch did 150 experiments and 900 hours of research during their stint on the ISS.”
Their roles expanded beyond research; they undertook routine maintenance tasks and even conducted spacewalks to upgrade the station's systems. Montalbano stressed that the work carried out "benefits the nation" and increases the chance that NASA will be successful in hitting its goal of landing a person on Mars by the end of the decade.
The Journey Home
The path to their return was meticulously planned. NASA collaborated with SpaceX to facilitate the astronauts' safe journey back to Earth.
Williams and Wilmore, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, boarded the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule -- the aptly named "Freedom".
After a 17-hour voyage, the capsule executed a flawless re-entry, deploying its parachutes and gently splashing down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, at 5:57PM ET on March 18, 2025.
As the hatch opened, the astronauts emerged smiling and waving, their joy palpable with the nation after months in microgravity.
A Warm and Unusual Welcome
In a delightful twist, a pod of dolphins greeted the astronauts' capsule as it bobbed in the ocean, awaiting retrieval.
Once aboard the recovery ship, the crew underwent standard medical evaluations to assess their readjustment to Earth's gravity. Personalized footrests were provided to help ease them back into the effects of gravity.
They are expected to spend some time reacclimating and will soon reunite with their families.
Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts has recently described his own struggles upon returning from the ISS and shared what Williams and Wilmore are likely to experience.
“For me, I felt two things: I felt really heavy and really, really dizzy," he said. Virts added that it took time for his sense of balance to fully recover.
NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao explained on NewsNation Prime that the returning crew may experience a painful condition known as "baby feet"
"You basically lose the thick part of the skin on your feet. You kind of have baby feet when you come back," Chiao said.
This transformation makes walking painful and uncomfortable until the skin toughens up again — a process that can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months.
Chiao also echoed Virts' comments regarding severe dizziness and balance disruption. “To me, it feels kind of like having the flu. It takes a couple of weeks to get back to normal,” he said.
Other common issues facing returning astronauts include:
- Muscle deterioration due to the lack of resistance from gravity
- Decreased bone density, increasing the risk of fractures
- Fluid shifts, which can affect vision by putting pressure on the optic nerve
- Slight heart shrinkage, as the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood in space
- Psychological effects, including anxiety and depression, due to prolonged isolation in a confined space
NASA’s Plan to Help Wilmore and Williams Recover
NASA reportedly has a strict post-space rehabilitation program designed to help astronauts gradually reacclimate to Earth’s gravity. This includes:
- Gradual walking reintroduction, starting with soft surfaces
- Strength training and cardiovascular exercises to rebuild muscle and bone density
- Balance training to restore coordination
- Psychological support to help astronauts adjust mentally
Addressing the "Stranded" Narrative
Throughout their prolonged mission, narratives emerged suggesting that Williams and Wilmore were "stranded" in space.
However, both astronauts and NASA officials refuted these claims.
"We came up prepared to stay long even though we planned to stay short; that is what we do in human spaceflight," Wilmore previously told reporters, per Space.com.
NASA emphasized that - despite the extended duration - the crew remained safe, engaged, and fully supported. The decision to delay their return was rooted in safety considerations and the availability of a reliable spacecraft to ensure their secure passage home.
Per BBC News, NASA’s Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox addressed their extended stay, explaining: “The SpaceX folks helped us with a lot of options for how we would bring Butch and Suni home on Dragon in a contingency.”
Though NASA explored multiple return strategies, none were deemed practical due to budget constraints and the necessity of maintaining ISS operations.
“But we ruled them out pretty quickly just based on how much money we've got in our budget, and the importance of keeping crews on the International Space Station,” Bowersox added. “They're an important part of maintaining the station.”
With their return to Earth, Wilmore and Williams will have spent approximately 285 days in space, making them the sixth longest-serving NASA astronauts for a single mission.
Their time in space is just shy of Peggy Whitson’s 289-day record, while Frank Rubio holds the longest NASA spaceflight record at 371 days, per the New York Post.
During their time in space this mission, they completed 4,576 trips around Earth.