On June 5, 2024, NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore embarked on what they believed would be an 8-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to drop off supplies. Upon arrival, it was discovered that their capsule experienced multiple problems, such as helium leaks. NASA officials decided to bring the capsule back without the astronauts, and they would bring them home at a later date; what they didn’t yet know was that it would be nine months before Williams and Wilmore could set foot on Earth again.
Due to the situation and the pair already being at the ISS, it was decided that they would join the regular rotation of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. On board, they conducted various experiments and research projects, but they also had to celebrate holidays and more.
Urged by the President, SpaceX began prepping to bring home the astronauts in February, and finally, on Monday, March 17, a SpaceX Dragon capsule left Earth to retrieve Williams and Wilmore. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov manned the SpaceX Dragon Crew-9. Finally, on Tuesday, March 18, around 6 pm, the capsule touched down off the coast of Florida and was shortly retrieved. Commander of the mission, Nick Hague, said upon arrival, “I see a capsule full of grins, ear to ear,” in an interview with CBS News. The astronauts were then taken in for medical examination and were able to reunite with their loved ones.
Controversially, as reported in the article, “Astronauts Will Not Get Overtime Pay for the Nine Months Spent Stranded In Space” by Vice, the pair will not receive any overtime pay from NASA for the months that they spent trapped in space, even though they are entitled to a small amount of $1,430 each; that breaks down to only $5 for each day of the 9 months they were stranded. However, President Trump has made a statement that he will personally pay that amount and additionally invited them to the White House once they are ready.
Both of them have yet to make many public appearances, and we are yet to know the effects the months have had on their physical and mental well-being. They are both spending long-awaited time with their families and will likely make appearances at the White House or at other press conferences soon.
Sunita Williams is a retired U.S. Navy Officer and now a NASA astronaut, who holds the record for the longest time spent on spacewalks by a woman. Butch Wilmore is a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy test pilot. In addition to these remarkable achievements, they are both parents, friends, siblings, and more, who have lost valuable time with their loved ones and sacrificed a lot.
