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Even as the world waited with bated breath, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned safely to Earth on March 18, 2025, after a nearly nine-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS), not by Starlink but by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

In a coordinated effort involving NASA, SpaceX, and international partners ensured a successful splashdown off Florida on March 18. The Dragon undocked and splashed down off Florida, marking a safe end to their extended mission.

Both Wilmore and Williams are Navy test pilots who later joined NASA. Wilmore, 62, was a high school and college football player in Tennessee, while Williams, 59, was a competitive swimmer and distance runner from Needham, Massachusetts. Wilmore missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year, while Williams stayed connected with her husband, mother, and relatives through internet calls from space.

Living in space for months poses physical challenges, including muscle and bone loss, fluid shifts that can lead to kidney stones, vision issues, and balance readjustment upon return to gravity. These effects are well-documented and managed by NASA. Both astronauts were experienced ISS crew members and refreshed their station training before launch.

As soon as the astronauts landed, both were carefully pulled out and they waved and smiled as the team welcomed them back after nine months. It was initially meant to be a short mission when the duo set out on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing's Starliner for its first crewed test flight, arriving at the ISS the next day. However, technical problems with Starliner, such as helium leaks and thruster failures, led NASA to return the spacecraft uncrewed. They joined Expedition 71/72, staying on the ISS for nearly nine months, contributing to research and operations.

On March 18, 2025, they returned aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of NASA's Crew-9 mission, alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The last nine months was fraught with uncertainties, the astronauts in spite of going through emotional turmoil managed to maintain emotional balance. Williams' husband and mother expressed pride, and the astronauts shared humorous videos from space, like saying "Want to go home," highlighting their emotional resilience during the wait.