Delayed Return: Williams and Wilmore End 286-Day Space Journey After Starliner Issues

On June 5th, 2024, the Boeing Starliner took off on a crewed flight test with astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Willmore. The mission was scheduled to last for 8 days, but due to complications the crew were stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months.

⚠️ Malfunctions in Orbit: Starliner's Troubled Journey to ISS

While the Boeing Starliner was en route to the ISS the spacecraft thrusters malfunctioned and there were also helium leaks. Because of these issues the ship was deemed unsafe for the crew to travel back to earth aboard. Despite the decision to cancel the astronauts' return to Earth on the Starliner Boeing stated that they had full confidence in the Starliner's mission capability.

Unmanned Test: Starliner's Successful, Yet Tricky, Return

The Starliner returned to Earth during an unmanned flight on that began on September 6th. It landed in New Mexico at White Sands Space Harbor on September 7th. Starliner did experience a few issues on it's return, but it ultimately landed without any major mishaps.

Homecoming at Last: Williams and Wilmore Back on Earth

Yesterday, March 18th, 2025, Suni and Butch returned to earth after spending 286 in space. They returned with the crew of SpaceX Crew-9, and they landed in the Gulf of America on the Tallahassee, Florida coast.

Road to Recovery: Medical Checks and Rehabilitation After Long Space Stay

Now that they are home, Suni and Butch will have to undergo medical checks and physical rehabilitation. They'll receive a physical, and a team of medical examiners will conduct a check of their vital signs. Due to the prolonged exposure to weightlessness their muscles will have begun to atrophy, they will have issues with their balance, and they will have bone loss.

It will be a long road to recovery for Suni and Butch, but they can do it. The longest amount of time ever spent in space is 437 days by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Palyakov, and the longest stay for an American Astronaut is Frank Rubio with 371 days in space.