Astronauts Butch and Sunita return to Earth after 9 months in Space

American astronauts Butch Willmore and Sunita Williams have returned to Earth after spending an unexpected nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). 

Originally scheduled for a week-long mission, their journey was extended due to a technical issue with Boeing‍‍`s "Starliner" capsule, which delayed their return.

Butch and Sunita‍‍`s mission began on June 6 of last year. 

They were initially set to return shortly after completing their tasks in space. 

However, due to a malfunction in the Starliner spacecraft, their return was postponed indefinitely.

NASA, alongside SpaceX, worked to resolve the issue, and after months of planning, the astronauts were finally able to return to Earth.

On Tuesday at 11:05 AM Bangladesh time (5:05 GMT), the astronauts left the ISS and boarded SpaceX‍‍`s Crew Dragon capsule. 

Joining them on this return journey were two other astronauts—Nicholas Hague from the United States and Alexander Gorbunov from Russia.

Both Hague and Gorbunov were part of the mission to bring Butch and Sunita back safely.

After 17 hours in space, the Crew Dragon capsule successfully re-entered Earth‍‍`s atmosphere. 

At 3:57 AM Bangladesh time, the spacecraft, equipped with parachutes, gently splashed down in the ocean approximately 50 miles off the coast of Florida.

Butch and Sunita, both experienced astronauts and retired pilots from the U.S. Navy, were immediately transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for medical check-ups. 

Speaking about the return trip, Nick Hague, who served as the commander of the Crew-9 mission, said, “What an incredible journey!” 

The astronauts will undergo routine health evaluations over the next few days. 

Once cleared by NASA’s flight surgeon, they will be reunited with their families and head home.

While Butch and Sunita’s mission was only supposed to last eight days, the unexpected malfunction in their spacecraft led to their prolonged stay in space. 

The delay even sparked political controversy. 

Former President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made unverified claims, accusing former President Joe Biden of intentionally leaving the astronauts stranded in space for political reasons.

Despite the drama, NASA and SpaceX worked diligently to ensure a safe return for the astronauts. 

Last Monday, NASA officially announced the return date. 

The "Crew-9 Mission" was launched by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:03 PM GMT on Friday. 

After a 29-hour journey, the spacecraft arrived at the ISS on Sunday at 4:04 AM.

NASA began working on plans to bring the astronauts home as early as last year. 

After Donald Trump took office as U.S. President in January, he prioritized their safe return to Earth, and his administration pushed for a swift resolution to the issue.