NASA astronauts stuck in space for 9 months safely return on SpaceX capsule

Two NASA astronauts who spent nine months stranded in space have safely returned to Earth along with two other crew members aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Freedom capsule.

The spacecraft successfully splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday, completing the astronaut’s extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were originally scheduled for a short-duration test flight to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, arriving on June 6, 2024. However, due to technical issues—including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions—their return was repeatedly delayed, forcing them to remain on the ISS for over 280 days while engineers worked on a solution.

They returned alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who launched separately aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Freedom on September 29, 2024. While their mission lasted about 171 days, aligning with a typical ISS rotation.

The return journey began when Dragon Freedom undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET. After a 17-hour journey, the spacecraft performed a deorbit burn at 4:11 p.m., leading to a successful splashdown at 5:57 p.m.

Teams on the SpaceX recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for recovery, said NASA in a statement. The recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the crew members inside.

Once on the main deck, the crew will exit the spacecraft and undergo medical checks before a short helicopter ride to board a plane for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Musk had previously been critical of Boeing’s delays with Starliner, which was originally intended to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon program for NASA’s commercial crew contracts. SpaceX has since become the agency’s primary partner for crewed ISS missions.