Two NASA astronauts return to Earth after more than 9 months stuck on the ISS

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth in a SpaceX shuttle on March 18 after being stuck for nine months on the International Space Station (ISS).

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, two veteran NASA astronauts and retired US Navy test pilots, flew into space as the first crew of Boeing's Starliner in June 2024 for a planned eight-day test mission, according to Reuters.

Two astronauts were greeted by dolphins when they returned after nine months stuck on the ISS space station.

Mr. Butch Wilmore and Ms. Suni Williams before starting their space mission in June 2024

Two astronauts say goodbye to colleagues before returning to Earth.

However, problems with the Starliner's propulsion system led to repeated delays in getting them home, with NASA finally deciding to send them back on a SpaceX capsule this year as part of the agency's crew rotation schedule.

According to NASA, Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams cannot begin their journey back to Earth until their replacement crew arrives, in order to maintain enough US personnel on the ISS.

The ship landed in the waters off Florida.

Their replacement crew arrived on March 14, four astronauts from NASA's Crew-10 mission, bringing the total number of astronauts on the station briefly to 11.

On the morning of March 18, Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams boarded the Crew Dragon spacecraft with two other astronauts (one American and one Russian) and left the ISS at 12:00 (Vietnam time), beginning the 17-hour journey back to Earth, saying goodbye to the remaining 7 astronauts on the station.

SpaceX's salvage ship picks up ship with 4 astronauts

The spacecraft then slowed down using the atmosphere and parachutes, landing off the coast of Florida (USA).

"It's been a great ride," NASA astronaut Nick Hague, Crew-9 mission commander in the Dragon spacecraft, told mission control shortly after landing.

From left: Mr. Butch Wilmore, Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, Mr. Nick Hague and Ms. Suni Williams

The astronauts were then taken ashore and to NASA's facility in Houston, Texas, for a few days of medical check-ups before being able to return home.

Living in space for months at a time can take a toll on the human body, from muscle atrophy to vision loss.

Mr. Butch Wilmore was helped off the ship.

Suni Williams waves goodbye after returning to Earth.

Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams spent a total of 286 days (more than nine months) in space during the mission, longer than the average ISS mission duration of six months, but still far from the record set by American astronaut Frank Rubio. Mr. Rubio’s record of 371 consecutive days in space ends in 2023, the unexpected result of a coolant leak on a Russian spacecraft.

Williams, after completing her third space flight, has spent a total of 608 days in space, the second longest in the history of American astronauts, behind only Peggy Whitson with 675 days. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko set the world record last year with a total of 878 days in space.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hai-phi-hanh-gia-nasa-ve-den-trai-dat-sau-hon-9-thang-mac-ket-tren-iss-18525031907015912.htm