The nine-month-long space saga for two NASA astronauts is nearing an end as the pair are finally on heading back to Earth.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded in space since June 2024.
Amid mechanical issues, launch delays, and claims of political interference, the astronauts’ journey has captured the public’s imagination for nearly a year.
Now that four new astronauts have arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) to take their place, Williams, Wilmore, and two other astronauts on board are finally free to pilot the SpaceX’s Crew-9 Dragon capsule home.
So, there’s just one question left: Who are Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore?
First, let’s look at how the journey began. The two were chosen as part of NASA’s 2015 effort to start sending American astronauts into space from rockets launching on US soil – something that hadn’t happened since NASA retired the space shuttle program in 2011.
The space agency teamed up with Boeing and SpaceX for the Commercial Crew Program and ultimately started sending astronauts back to the ISS from the US in 2020.
The first eight missions used SpaceX rockets and crew capsules, but the Crew-9 mission carrying Williams and Wilmore was the first to use Boeing’s Starliner – and that’s where the trouble started.
Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right) were stranded on the International Space Station in June 2024
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft took part in the ninth crewed mission to the International Space Station as part of the Commercial Crew Program. The other 8 to that point were handled by SpaceX
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was plagued by technical issues even before in launched on June 5. NASA ultimately deemed it unsafe to return its crew to Earth
Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams were original scheduled for an eight-day mission, but were forced to stay after technical issues plagued the Boeing’s Starliner that brought them to the ISS
Numerous technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner, including thruster failures and helium leaks, drove NASA to send the capsule home without its crew in September 2024.
Although a SpaceX capsule was successfully launched to replace it that same month, Suni and Butch had no one to replace them if they left.
Another series of setbacks in launching Crew-10, including NASA and SpaceX scrubbing a March 12 mission with the astronauts sitting on the launch pad, pushed back the duo’s return even further.
However, a long trip to space was nothing new for Williams and Wilmore, two NASA veterans with a wealth of experience between them.
Suni Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998. She had already been a member of two space expeditions in 2006 and 2012 – spending 322 days on the ISS before the Crew-9 mission.
Before heading into space, the 59-year-old graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1987 and retired from the service at the rank of captain.
While in the Navy, Williams was a test pilot and helped certify new systems for aircraft. She logged more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft.
During her distinguished career, she received several honors, including the Legion of Merit, the Navy Commendation Medal twice, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
NASA picked her for the Commercial Crew Program in 2015, and by 2018, she was assigned to Starliner’s first operational mission.
According to her NASA biography, Williams was born Euclid, Ohio and now makes her home in Needham, Massachusetts.
Suni is married to her husband Michael and when she’s back on Earth they enjoy ‘hanging out with their dogs, working out, working on houses, working on cars, working on airplanes, hiking, and camping.’
Sunita Williams recently admitted that she has forgotten how to walk after spending over 200 days in microgravity
The retired US Navy captain had previously spent over 300 days on the International Space Station during two other NASA missions
The 59-year-old currently makes her home in Needham, Massachusetts with her husband and their dogs
Meanwhile, her Starliner co-pilot Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore was also a US Navy captain prior to joining NASA.
The 62-year-old spent 178 days in space on two prior missions before getting stranded on board the ISS in 2024.
During one of those missions, Wilmore spent 167 days in space and completed four spacewalks before returning to Earth in 2015.
He was also a Navy test pilot who accumulated more than 8,000 flight hours and conducted 663 carrier landings, all in tactical jet aircraft.
During his Navy career, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, The Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy Meritorious Service Medals, five Air Medals, and six Navy Commendation Medals.
Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore is a decorated Navy veteran that spent 178 days in space on prior NASA missions before getting stranded on the International Space Station
At the start of the mission, six-foot-tall Wilmore weighed more than 210 pounds, a source said. It’s unclear how much weight he’s lost since boarding the ISS
Wilmore (front left) posed with the other members of the Expedition 72 crew for a photo posted on October 4
Wilmore was Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2000, and has since received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and two NASA Space Flight Medals.
Wilmore is from Tennessee and is married with two daughters, Daryn and Logan.
In recent weeks, his daughter Daryn made news after discussing the lengthy delays that have kept her father in space for months on social media.
She is expected to be reunited with the NASA veteran just a few hours after the capsule carrying Wilmore and Williams returns to Earth on Tuesday.
