Astronauts Return: The Next Chapter for NASA and Boeing's Starliner

After spending nine months in space, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned to Earth, reuniting with their families and resuming work with Boeing on the Starliner capsule. They plan to meet Boeing officials to discuss the spacecraft's development, which had previously encountered issues leading to delays.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned home after a nine-month mission in space, spending the time post-arrival adapting back to life on Earth with activities like dog walking and family reunions. The astronauts are also gearing up to collaborate with Boeing on their Starliner capsule.

In a conversation from Houston, Suni Williams expressed her delight in feeling the open air again, emphasizing the comfort of being back on familiar ground. Both astronauts underwent medical evaluations upon their return, having traveled to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule earlier this year in March.

Looking forward, Wilmore and Williams will reconvene with Boeing officials to probe deeper into the Starliner's ongoing development. This follows last year's propulsion system issues that required urgent NASA intervention. Boeing aims for an uncrewed test flight in 2026, following comprehensive ground tests planned for the summer.

(With inputs from agencies.)