NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore returned back to Earth on Tuesday March 18, 2025, after being stranded on the International Space Station for the last nine months. The astronauts were originally planned for an eight-day mission on the Boeing Starliner Spacecraft to test the Boeing’s ability to take crewed missions to the International Space Station. However, unexpected difficulties contributed to the duo’s extended stay. After months of relentless pressure, it was Elon Musk’s SpaceX company that returned the crew back to Earth. The splashdown occurred off the coast of the city of Tallahassee near the Florida Panhandle.

However, many accuse the Biden Administration of lacking “urgency” in bringing the astronauts back to Earth. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that after Trump took office in January, he immediately directed Elon Musk to deliberate a plan to rescue these astronauts. Despite these challenges, astronauts Williams and Wilmore emerged from the rocket in good spirits, expressing profound appreciation for the teams that worked nonstop to ensure their return.