SpaceX Capsule Returns NASA Astronauts After 9 Months Aboard ISS

Americans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are safely brought home after 286 days in space.

Caleb Revill

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 02:09 PM ET

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Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Following splashdown, the four space explorers were video recorded in what was described as “a capsule full of grins” during NASA’s livestream of the recovery. [Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX’s Dragon Freedom capsule safely returned astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, along with Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, to Earth after a 286-day mission on the International Space Station.
Wilmore and Williams had an extended stay on the ISS due to helium leaks and thruster malfunctions encountered by their original Boeing Starliner spacecraft during its test flight.
All four astronauts successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico at the scheduled time and were safely recovered.

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SpaceX’s Dragon Freedom capsule safely splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday evening, bringing astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams home after the two spent 286 days in space aboard the International Space Station.

The two were joined by Crew-9 NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who were also aboard the ISS during Wilmore and Williams’ stay.