Astronauts Butch and Suni Return to Earth After Mission

After nine months in orbit, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned to Earth.

Their SpaceX spacecraft conducted a quick and violent re-entry into Earth's atmosphere before four parachutes released, guiding them to a calm splashdown off the coast of Florida.

 

A group of dolphins circled the vessel.

 

After being hauled out of the sea by a recovery ship, the astronauts, together with fellow crew mates astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, smiled and waved as they were hoisted out of the hatch.

"The crew's doing great," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, at a press conference.

 

It brings to an end a mission that was scheduled to last only eight days.

 

It was significantly expanded after the spacecraft Butch and Suni used to go to the International Space Station encountered technical difficulties.

 

"It is awesome to have crew 9 home, just a beautiful landing," said Joel Montalbano, deputy assistant administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate.

 

He thanked the astronauts for their resilience and adaptability, and praised SpaceX as a "great partner".

The trip home took 17 hours.

 

The astronauts were assisted onto a stretcher, as is customary after spending so much time in the weightless atmosphere.

 

They will be assessed by a medical team before being reunited with their families.

 

"The big thing will be seeing friends and family and the people who they were expecting to spend Christmas with," said Helen Sharman, Britain's first astronaut.

 

"All of those family celebrations, the birthdays, and the other events that they thought they were going to be part of - now, suddenly they can perhaps catch up on a bit of lost time."

 

The story of Butch and Suni begins in June 2024.

They were taking part in the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

 

However, the capsule encountered various technical issues on its route to the space station, and it was deemed too unsafe to return the crew home.

 

Starliner safely returned to Earth empty in early September, but the couple required a new vehicle for their return.

 

So NASA chose the next scheduled voyage, a SpaceX spacecraft that arrived at the ISS in late September.

 

It traveled with two astronauts rather than four, leaving two seats available for Butch and Suni's return.

The only caveat was that the mission was supposed to last six months, prolonging the astronauts' stay until now.

 

The Nasa crew relished their longer-than-expected stay in space.

 

They conducted a variety of experiments on board the orbiting lab, as well as spacewalks, with Suni breaking the record for the most hours spent outside the space station.  And for Christmas, the squad donned Santa hats and reindeer antlers, conveying a cheerful message for a holiday they had planned to spend at home.

 

And, although being labeled as "stranded," the astronauts were never actually stranded.

Throughout their expedition, spacecraft have always been linked to the space station to transport them and the rest of the crew home in the event of an emergency.

 

Now that the astronauts have returned home, they will be brought to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where they will be examined by medical professionals.

 

Long-duration space trips strain the body, causing astronauts to lose bone density and muscle mass.  Blood circulation is also compromised, and fluid changes can impair vision.

 

It can take a long time for the body to return to normal, therefore the duo will be subjected to a rigorous training regimen as their bodies re-adapt to living with gravity.

According to British astronaut Tim Peake, readjusting could take some time.

 

"Your body feels great, it feels like a holiday," he told the BBC.

 

"Your heart is at ease, as are your muscles and bones.  "You are floating around the space station in this wonderful zero-gravity environment." However, you must keep up your exercise routine.  Because you're staying fit in space to prepare for your return to Earth's brutal gravitational environment.  "The first two or three days back on Earth can be extremely punishing."

Butch and Suni stated in interviews while onboard that they were well prepared for their longer-than-expected stay, but there were several things they looked forward to when they returned home.

 

Suni Williams told CBS last month: "I'm looking forward to seeing my family, my dogs, and jumping in the ocean."  It will be great to be back on Earth and feel the Earth."