NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams have finally returned to Earth after spending nearly 300 days stranded in space. “The SpaceX Dragon Crew successfully splash landed just off the Florida coast,” ending their unexpected extended mission.

Wilmore and Williams were originally sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5, 2024, for what was meant to be a simple eight-day mission. But their Boeing Starliner Calypso spacecraft malfunctioned due to helium leaks and failed thrusters, making it unsafe to bring them back. “Other attempts to retrieve the veteran astronauts failed,” leaving them stuck in orbit for months.

Hope arrived when SpaceX Crew-10 replacements successfully docked at the ISS last Friday. This paved the way for Wilmore, Williams, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to return home together.Today, March 18, the SpaceX Crew Dragon safely brought them back. “The Dragon’s parachutes were deployed before hitting the waters,” ensuring a smooth landing.After nine long months, the astronauts are finally back on Earth.