SpaceX Dragon capsule sticks splashdown landing as NASA astronauts return home after months stuck in space

A number of NASA astronauts, who had stranded in house for greater than 9 months, returned to the earth on Tuesday and landed within the Gulf of America for Tallahassee, Florida, ending an unexpected Odyssey.

Barry “Butch” Wilmore, 62, and Suni Williams, 59, returned dwelling after a brand new crew had changed them and two different astronauts reached the Worldwide House Station (ISS) on the weekend.

The four-member crew-10 worn by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft early on Sunday met the ISS, the place Wilmore and Williams lived since their deliberate roughly a week-long mission in June 2024 in a for much longer modified.

“On behalf of SpaceX, Welcome Dwelling,” Radioed SpaceX Mission Management in California.

“What a experience,” replied NASA -Astronaut Nick Hague, the commander of the capsule.

T picture fabricated from video launched by SpaceX exhibits dolphins that swim close to a SpaceX capsule, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, after touchdown from the Coast of Florida with NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague, and Russian Kosmonaut Alexand ((SpaceX through AP) / AP photographs)

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NASA mentioned it aimed for Crew-9, additionally consisting of Hague and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov subsequent to Wilmore and Williams, to return to the earth on Tuesday night.

The crew was “grinning ear to ear” on their return, mentioned Hague.

NASA Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP through Getty Pictures / Getty photographs)

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That deliberate arrival “gave” the crew members of the House Station to finish switch duties, whereas providing operational flexibility previous to much less favorable climate situations which might be anticipated for later within the week, “mentioned the US House Company.

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The SpaceX Dragon -Ruimtevaartuig has been on the ISS because it was on the finish of September Haag and Gorbunov.

Wilmore and Williams anticipated to be away for a few week after the launch Boeing’s new Starliner Crew Capsule on June 5.

So many issues went on the best way to the house station that NASA Starliner ultimately despatched empty and transferred the take a look at pilots to SpaceX, which pushed their return dwelling to February. Subsequently, SpaceX -Capsule issues added a month delay.

A SpaceX Dragon -Ruimtevaartig is seen because it lands with NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on the water on the coast of Tallahassee, FLA. (Keegan Barber / NASA through Getty Pictures / Getty photographs)

The arrival of Sunday of their help staff meant Wilmore and Williams might lastly depart

SpaceX mentioned it was planning to carry out the spacecraft “a number of observe -lowering maneuvers, to bridge the trunk and to re -enter the ambiance of the earth for SplashDown” close to Florida on Tuesday night after the ISS and much sufficient is away from the turnover analysis station.

The ISS circles across the earth from about 250 miles.

The Boeing Starliner -House Varitage that Wilmore and Williams delivered to house final summer time and was initially deliberate to convey them again, had “helium leaks” and “issues with the response inputs of the house trovers” when it got here near the ISS on the time, Nasa mentioned.

SpaceX Dragon Capsule splashes on Tuesday to the Gulf of America, off the coast of Florida. (House/NASA)

The House Company and Boeing finally determined that the Starliner would make an unmanned return to the earth at the start of September, in order that they may “acquire take a look at knowledge” on the spacecraft whereas it traveled again “, whereas they didn’t settle for extra danger than needed for his crew,” mentioned Nasa. It additionally made Wilmore and Williams members of the following crew-9, which signifies that they return on the identical time with Hague and Gorbunov.

NASA Astronauten Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore had been the cockpit staff on Boeing’s Starliner Capsule, which recovers from a sequence of issues. (NASA / Getty photographs)

The journey of Wilmore and Williams on the Boeing -House Vail Enter was alleged to function a take a look at flight to “take a look at the Starliner companion and its subsystems” as a part of the certification course of to take part within the industrial crew program of NASA, the house company mentioned in June 2024.

SpaceX, a part of the NASA industrial crew program, has carried out 10 operational human house missions, together with the latest Crew-10 launch that permits Wilmore and Williams to return dwelling by bringing new astronauts to handle the ISS.

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President Donald Trump has used the lengthy stint of astronauts in house to criticize former President Joe Biden and his administration.

Based on NASA and SpaceX, the journey to convey Wilmore, Williams, Hague and Gorbunov again anticipated to take about 17 hours as quickly because the Dragon launched from the ISS.