Sophia Yeskulsky | Head Editor
March 20, 2025
After an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams safely returned to Earth on Tuesday, March 18. Wilmore and Williams had originally embarked on what was intended to be a brief test flight aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June 2024. However, they found themselves remaining in orbit for over nine months due to technical difficulties. Their return was made possible through SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which landed in the former Gulf of Mexico, now the Gulf of America, off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.
Wilmore, 62, and Williams, 59, were initially expected to remain at the ISS for about a week as part of a test mission for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Unfortunately, many technical issues arose including helium leaks and problems with the reaction control thrusters. These complications led NASA and Boeing to make the decision to return Starliner to Earth without Wilmore and Williams for further testing, leaving the astronauts without an a way home.
To ensure their safe return, NASA integrated them into Crew-9, alongside astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which had been at the ISS since late September, was ultimately used to take the astronauts back to Earth.
On Sunday, March 16, Crew-10 successfully arrived at the ISS aboard another SpaceX Dragon capsule, allowing Wilmore and Williams to finally depart. SpaceX ensured a smooth undocking, orbit-lowering sequence, and reentry into Earth’s atmosphere before splashing down into the Gulf of America.
Following their return, Wilmore and Williams expressed gratitude for the efforts made to bring them home. SpaceX Mission Control in California welcomed them back and emphasized the significance of their return.
The extended duration of Wilmore and Williams’ stay in space drew much political attention. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk suggested that the Biden administration delayed their return for political reasons. However, during a post-landing press conference, NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Operations, Joel Montalbano, stated that he was not involved in any discussions regarding such claims and confirmed that the current administration had prioritized their return. Senior Camille Bennett emphasized how “politics aside, it was incredibly important that the astronauts arrived home and that they were still healthy.”
Despite the setbacks experienced with Boeing’s Starliner, NASA remains committed to its commercial crew program. They plan to continue to work with Boeing to address technical issues and ensure the Starliner spacecraft meets safety and operational standards. Senior Brianna Diaz highlighted how “amazing” it was that “NASA had the resources to take care of both astronauts for an unexpected 9 months.” Meanwhile, SpaceX has successfully completed ten human spaceflight missions, proving itself as a reliable transportation partner for NASA. As NASA continues its exploration efforts, Wilmore and Williams’ extended stay highlights both the challenges and resilience required for human spaceflight.
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