After nine months in space, stuck astronauts make their way back to Earth via SpaceX splashdown.
After nine months of being stuck in space owing to Boeing Starliner failures, two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, successfully splashed down off the coast of Florida, ending a mission that was initially only supposed to last eight days.
In a ceremony that was livestreamed by the US space agency, two NASA astronauts who had been trapped in space for a terrifying nine months just touched down safely off the coast of Florida.
After their Boeing Starliner spacecraft had multiple failures, Sunita “Suni” Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded on the ISS for nine months when they were only supposed to be there for eight days.
In June 2024, the two departed for the International Space Station (ISS) and arrived on Earth Tuesday at around 1:05 a.m. EDT, landing at 5:57 p.m. Boats were supposed to arrive at the floating capsule in the Atlantic Ocean in roughly 30 minutes.
‘Five scary side effects’ of months in space await NASA astronauts
After nine months in space, stranded NASA astronauts leave the ISS in a SpaceX capsule.
Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov and NASA astronaut Nick Hague, the mission leader, were photographed in the capsule with Williams and Wilmore. To protect the astronauts inside and keep water out of the cramped area, the capsule was welded shut from the outside, and they were securely secured into it while wearing spacesuits.
By around 6:15 p.m., the astronauts had still not left the craft, despite the boat men working for almost 30 minutes to free them. As the capsule bobbed in the ocean, divers could be seen outside unbolting it.
What caused the astronauts to become stranded?
Although Williams and Wilmore spent more than a week trying to resolve the problems they were having with the Starliner spaceship, they were unsuccessful.
NASA declared the vehicle dangerous for human use, and soon after, it departed for Earth without a crew. Williams and Wilmore joined the full-time crew on board the ISS and blended in with the other astronauts.
Together with the other ISS astronauts, the two have been working away ever since. But they have criticized President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for saying they were stuck on the station.
“It’s labor. It’s enjoyable. It’s been difficult at times, without a doubt,” Wilmore stated in an interview with “The Daily” anchor Michael Barbaro.
“But’stranded?’ No,” she continued. “Abandoned?” No. “Stuck?” No. Having completed nine spacewalks and accrued nearly 62 hours of time, Wiliams has made history by breaking the record for female astronauts.
She and Williams both had Navy backgrounds that helped them achieve their lofty goals. Wilmore, 62, has a history of playing football during his school years in Tennessee prior to joining the Navy.
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