NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore finally return home

Homecoming like no other!

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have finally returned to Earth after spending nine months in space. Their journey back was aboard a SpaceX capsule, which made a fiery re-entry before parachutes slowed it down for a smooth splashdown off the Florida coast. As their capsule floated in the ocean, a pod of dolphins circled around it.

A recovery ship then lifted the spacecraft, and the astronauts smiled and waved as they emerged with fellow crew members Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.

“On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home,” radioed SpaceX Mission Control in California.

NASA officials expressed relief and happiness at their safe return. "The crew's doing great," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Joel Montalbano, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Operations, praised SpaceX for being a "great partner." 

The mission was supposed to last just eight days, but it stretched to nine months due to technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft, which Butch and Suni originally used to reach the International Space Station (ISS).

Because of these problems, NASA decided it was too risky to bring them back on the Starliner, which was eventually sent back to Earth empty in September.

Instead, they returned on a SpaceX capsule that arrived at the ISS in late September with two available seats.

Despite the delay, Butch and Sunita Williams made the most of their extended stay. They conducted experiments and spacewalks, with Suni setting a record for the most time spent outside the ISS by a woman.

They also celebrated Christmas in space, wearing Santa hats and reindeer antlers for a holiday message.

Now back on Earth, the astronauts will undergo medical checks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Long stays in space affect the body, causing muscle loss, bone density reduction, and circulation issues. They will follow a strict exercise routine to regain their strength.