Two NASA astronauts who spent months stuck in space are finally heading back home.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams originally set out on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). However, what was meant to be a short trip turned into nearly 300 days in orbit.
The delay was caused by issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The vehicle had multiple problems, including five helium leaks, five thrusters failing, and a propellant valve that didn’t close properly.
Wilmore and Williams were launched into space on June 5, 2024. That means they have been away from Earth for 285 days. By the time they land, they will have been gone for 286 days.
Now, NASA has confirmed that the astronauts are finally on their way back. An update from the agency stated:
“At 1:05 a.m. EDT Tuesday, NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, undocked from the space-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.”
NASA has planned for them to land in the ocean. “The spacecraft will undock from the orbiting laboratory about 1:05 a.m. on Tuesday, heading for a targeted splashdown at 5:57 p.m. off the coast of Florida,” the agency shared.
The ISS orbits Earth 16 times in 24 hours. With 285 days in space, Wilmore and Williams have circled the planet around 4,560 times. That also means they’ve seen approximately 4,560 sunrises and 4,560 sunsets.
Wilmore, a father of two, is looking forward to reuniting with his children. Williams is also eager to see her family.
During their extended stay, both astronauts remained busy with various tasks on the ISS, including spacewalks. Despite their work, they will likely be relieved to be back on solid ground.
Wilmore’s 16-year-old daughter, Daryn, spoke about her father’s long absence. She blamed “negligence” and “a lot of politics” for the delays, saying, “He’s missed out on a lot.”
Though she hasn’t seen him in person for months, Daryn talks to her father every day and is excited for his return.