Who Are the NASA Astronauts Stuck in Space for Nine Months?

Cape Canaveral: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams spent nine months stranded in space, turning what was supposed to be a short test flight into an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Their homecoming was finally confirmed after a new crew arrived at the ISS last week to replace them. Instead of returning in Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule, they were set to fly back on a SpaceX Dragon as early as Tuesday. The Starliner, plagued by technical failures, had returned to Earth empty months ago, leaving Wilmore and Williams behind.

Who Are the Stuck Astronauts?

Both astronauts were former Navy test pilots before joining NASA.

• Butch Wilmore, 62, from Tennessee, played football in high school and college before joining the Navy. He completed 663 aircraft carrier landings and became an astronaut in 2000.
• Suni Williams, 59, from Massachusetts, was a competitive swimmer and runner before serving in combat helicopter squadrons. NASA selected her in 1998.

Both had previously spent months aboard the ISS before signing up for the Starliner test flight.

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How Did Their Families Cope?

Despite their patience, the astronauts admitted that their extended mission was tougher on their families.

• Wilmore’s wife, Deanna, managed their household while their oldest daughter attended college and their youngest finished high school.
• Williams’ husband, Mike, a retired federal marshal, took care of their two Labrador retrievers. She said her mother worried the most.

What Are They Looking Forward to on Earth?

Once back, both astronauts had simple desires:

• Wilmore, an elder in his Baptist church, looked forward to ministering in person and smelling fresh-cut grass. He stayed connected with his congregation via the ISS’s internet phone.
• Williams wanted long walks with her dogs and an ocean swim.

NASA confirmed they did not need special medical precautions, as other astronauts had stayed in space even longer.

"Every astronaut that launches into space, we teach them don’t think about when you’re coming home," NASA's space operations chief Ken Bowersox said. "If you’re lucky, you might get to stay longer."

Also Read: NASA’s Curiosity Rover Sends Visuals From Mars

Why Were They Caught in a Political Controversy?

Their prolonged stay sparked political debate after Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk accused the Biden administration of delaying their return.

NASA, however, defended its decision to wait for the next scheduled SpaceX flight, originally planned for February. Their replacements were delayed on Earth due to battery work on a new SpaceX capsule.

To speed up Wilmore and Williams' return, SpaceX switched capsules, allowing them to come back earlier than expected.

"It’s great to see how much people care about our astronauts," Bowersox said, calling them "professional, devoted, and outstanding."

Why Did the Astronauts Switch Spacecraft?

Astronauts usually return to the same spacecraft they launched in. However, Wilmore and Williams had to switch from Boeing’s Starliner to SpaceX’s Dragon due to serious technical failures on Starliner.

• Their first missions had been aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle and Russia’s Soyuz capsule.
• The Starliner faced leaks and thruster malfunctions soon after its June 5 liftoff.
• After months of investigation, NASA decided it was too risky to bring them back in the faulty spacecraft.
• Instead, Starliner was sent back empty in September, leaving them to wait for the next available ride.

What’s Next for Boeing’s Starliner?

Starliner’s future remains uncertain.

• Engineers are still investigating what went wrong.
• NASA and Boeing have not decided when the capsule will fly again—whether with astronauts or just cargo.

NASA had originally planned for two competing spacecraft—SpaceX’s Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner—for redundancy. Despite Starliner’s struggles, NASA remains committed to having both options.

For now, Wilmore and Williams are finally heading home—after nine months in space.