NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Snie Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to solid ground after spending months at the International Space Station (ISS) along with Los Cosmos astronaut Alexandre Glebenkin. A return to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon marked another smooth touchdown for the commercial crew program.
“A Dragon splashdown confirmed – welcome to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch and Alex,” SpaceX said in a post on X.
Dragon splashdown confirmed – return to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch and Alek! pic.twitter.com/m4rz6uysq2
– SpaceX (@Spacex) March 18, 2025
An unexpectedly long stay
Williams and Wilmore first launched Boeing Starliner in June 2024 for what was meant to be a short test mission at Boeing’s Starliner. The plan quickly changed when technical issues remained on the ISS much longer than expected. Instead of an eight-day stint, their mission extended to months and blended into regular station operations while engineers worked on the solution.
The extended stay allowed them to participate in a variety of research projects and maintenance tasks, once again demonstrating that astronauts are always ready to adapt.
Smooth return using SpaceX
NASA has chosen to return crews to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, a move that underscores the importance of having multiple transport options for astronauts. The spacecraft named Freedom was not locked from the ISS at 1:05am on ET. We glided through the Earth’s atmosphere before a gentle parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida’s Gulf.
“Back to Earth,” a call from Mission Control came as the recovery crew moved. “I smirk, and I can see capsules filled with ears.”
What’s coming next
After the initial medical check, the crew will return to the NASA facility for post-mission assessments and well-earned breaks. Meanwhile, Boeing continues to work on fixing Starliner issues, aiming to bring back SpaceFlight preparations.
For now, the spotlight is on astronauts who have dealt with unexpected extensions with patience and professionalism. Their mission may not have gone as planned, but it is a reminder that Space Travel always has surprises.
Welcome Home, Nick, Suni, Butch, Alex!
