After spending nine months stranded in space, astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams successfully returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon. Their mission, originally scheduled for eight days, was prolonged due to a malfunction in the Boeing Starliner Calypso, which hindered their return from the International Space Station. Throughout the nine-month period, several attempts to retrieve them were unsuccessful. However, progress was achieved on March 14 when a replacement SpaceX Crew-10 spacecraft arrived, enabling Wilmore, Williams, and two additional astronauts, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, to make their return. They landed safely near Tallahassee, Florida, where they were welcomed with smiles and thumbs-up after receiving medical evaluations.
In the aftermath of the astronauts’ return, President Donald Trump attracted attention when questioned about potential additional compensation for their extended time in space. A reporter highlighted that the astronauts would not receive overtime pay for their 286-day extension. Trump stated that he would personally cover any necessary compensation, commenting that $1,430 was insufficient for their experience. Medical professionals have indicated that Wilmore and Williams will require 45 days of rehabilitation to readjust to life on Earth.
