NASA Astronauts Return Home After Nine-Month ISS Mission

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who spent an unexpected nine months aboard the International Space Station due to issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, have begun their return journey to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. They undocked from the ISS early Tuesday morning and are expected to splash down off the Florida coast later in the day. The return was expedited to take advantage of favorable weather conditions, as NASA aims to ensure a safe landing while minimizing delays. Along with them are astronauts Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, marking the end of a mission that involved significant scientific research and unplanned contingencies. The astronauts had originally launched in June 2024 for a short test mission, but complications with the Starliner led to their extended stay. Their return is part of NASA's Crew-9 rotation mission, which emphasizes the complexities of human spaceflight and contingency planning.