Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are seasoned NASA astronauts who recently concluded a remarkable mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for what was intended to be an eight-day mission, their stay was unexpectedly extended to nine months due to technical issues with the Starliner, including propulsion system malfunctions.
Throughout their extended mission, Williams and Wilmore contributed to numerous experiments and maintenance tasks on the ISS. Williams notably reclaimed the record for the most spacewalking time by a female astronaut during this period.
Their return to Earth was facilitated by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, which safely splashed down off the coast of Florida on March 18, 2025, after a 17-hour descent. Upon landing, both astronauts were assisted out of the capsule on stretchers, a standard procedure after prolonged periods in microgravity.
The mission’s duration and challenges have sparked discussions regarding NASA’s contingency planning and the reliability of commercial spacecraft. Boeing’s Starliner, in particular, faced setbacks that delayed its certification for operational missions.
For a visual account of their return, you can watch the following video: