NASA Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore Finally Return to Earth After 9 Months in Space

 

            Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore are back after spending nine months at the International Space Station. Photo credit: Getty Images/ Encyclopaedia Britannica/Joe Raedle and NASA. Source: Getty Images 

The two astronauts who were stranded in space have finally returned to Earth after spending nine whole months The astronauts are NASA's Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore who went on an eight-day tour which later turned into nine months They packed down in Florida, USA, alongside two others including NASA's Nick Hague and Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov 

The NASA astronauts who were stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) are finally back to Earth. Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore had flown to the ISS in 2024 on an eight-day routine mission but it later dragged to nine months. 

Their delayed return was because the spacecraft they used to travel to the ISS developed problems. However, another spacecraft was sent for Williams and Willmore after nearly a year at the ISS. On March 19, reports had it that they splashed down off the coast of Florida and they were helped into a stretcher to begin their rehabilitation after spending so much time in an environment that had no gravity. 

NASA says: "NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew. After returning to shore, the crew will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston and reunite with their families." NASA acting administrator Janet Petro said the organisation was thrilled to have the astronauts back home after such a long time. Her words: “We are thrilled to have Suni, Butch, Nick, and Aleksandr home after their months-long mission conducting vital science, technology demonstrations, and maintenance aboard the International Space Station.

According to NASA's website, Suni Williams who was part of Crew 9, now holds the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut.  It says: "Throughout its mission, Crew-9 contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations. Williams conducted two spacewalks, joined by Wilmore for one and Hague for another, removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting samples from the station’s external surface for analysis, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more. Williams now holds the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut, with 62 hours and 6 minutes outside of station, and is fourth on the all-time spacewalk duration list.''

The astronauts will be rehabilitated and reunited with their families. Reactions trail astronauts' arrival to earth When the news hit X, below were some of the things people said: @JinJooWon said: "Finally returning, what a relief! I want to applaud the astronauts who spent 9 months on the ISS. Wishing them a safe arrival back on Earth!"