Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Return to Earth After Extended SpaceX Test Mission

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on a SpaceX capsule after an unexpected nine-month stay on the ISS. Initially delayed due to Boeing Starliner issues, their mission gained political attention and ended with a planned splashdown off Florida. Their replacements have promptly arrived.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have made their return to Earth, concluding an extended nine-month mission that initially began as a short test. They boarded a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule early Tuesday, undocking from the International Space Station alongside two other astronauts.

The mission was significantly delayed due to technical failures in Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, prompting a change of return vehicle to SpaceX. Political figures, including President Donald Trump, showed interest, pressing for an expedited return.

Following their splashdown off Florida's coast, the astronauts will undergo health evaluations at Houston's Johnson Space Center. This mission sheds light on NASA's contingency measures and underscores the challenges of maintaining crew rotations at the ISS.

(With inputs from agencies.)