Homecoming After a Space Odyssey: NASA Astronauts' Spectacular Return

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have returned to Earth, completing a lengthy mission marked by technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. They splashed down off the coast of Florida in a SpaceX capsule. Their return highlights NASA's contingency planning and SpaceX's pivotal role in American spaceflight.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams triumphantly returned to Earth on Tuesday, splashing down in a SpaceX capsule off the coast of Florida after a protracted nine-month mission fraught with challenges.

Their return in a SpaceX Crew Dragon, rather than the troubled Boeing Starliner they launched on, underscores NASA's adept contingency planning. Their journey back was part of NASA's Crew-9 rotation, involving a 17-hour trip after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission drew international attention, including from U.S. President Donald Trump. Following their return, the astronauts will undergo extensive health checks at NASA's Johnson Space Center before reuniting with their families.

(With inputs from agencies.)