Astronauts return to Earth

After 256 days in space, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have safely come back to Earth.

The two astronauts had originally expected a short, 8 day trip to the International Space Station (ISS). However, the Boeing Starliner which they were test-flying experienced some issues. Therefore, it was decided that the spacecraft shouldn't be used for their return trip.

In September, NASA kept two seats empty on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft which carried Crew-9 to the ISS. However, they arrived on a six-month mission. They could only return once Crew-10 had boarded the ISS.

In March, after a one-month delay, Crew-10 arrived on the ISS. Williams and Wilmore's spacecraft, which travelled at 27,300 kilometres an hour, took 17 hours to return to Earth. The capsule's parachutes opened and it splashed down into the Gulf of Mexico.

For experienced astronaut Williams, this was her third space mission. She's now spent 608 days away from Earth, which puts her in second place for total time spent in space.

Health risks for astronauts who spend long periods in space include thinner bones and weaker muscles. Therefore, astronauts receive regular check-ups on the ISS and are given thorough medical examinations on their return. After their bodies get used to gravity again, any health issues usually resolve themselves. View Less