After spending nine months aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally returned to Earth. Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, the astronauts were delayed when the Boeing vessel meant to bring them home was deemed unsafe, forcing them to watch it leave without them.
The delay was attributed to budget constraints, but with the assistance of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the astronauts’ return was made possible. On June 5, 2024, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully brought Wilmore and Williams back after a 17-hour descent, landing just off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.
The astronauts are now reunited with their loved ones, with Williams expressing how much she missed her family and dogs. The long-awaited return followed delays, including a cancelled mission in March due to a hydraulic issue.
