Wed Mar 19 05:19:03 UTC 2025: ## Astronauts Return to Earth After Nine-Month Space Mission
**Houston, TX – March 19, 2025** – NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, along with two other crew members, have safely returned to Earth after a prolonged nine-month space mission. Their journey, originally intended as a one-week test flight aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, was significantly extended due to unforeseen delays.
The crew splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, March 18th, in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, “Freedom,” after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). Recovery teams swiftly retrieved the capsule, and medical personnel conducted initial health assessments. Williams and Wilmore were seen smiling and waving as they were transported for post-mission evaluations.
The astronauts will now undergo a 45-day rehabilitation program in Houston to mitigate the effects of prolonged spaceflight, including muscle loss and bone density changes.
First Piper 