NASA Astronauts Return After 9-Month ISS Mission

Two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, along with their crewmates, began their long-awaited journey back to Earth on Tuesday after spending more than nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally planned as a short mission, technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft extended their stay by over 280 days, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency

The crew, which also includes NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, undocked from the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule at 1:05 a.m. local time (0505 GMT). Their return journey is expected to take around 17 hours before splashdown.

Williams set a new record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a female astronaut during their extended mission. The arrival of a four-person replacement crew on Sunday marked the final steps of their departure.

The delay has sparked political debate, with US President Donald Trump accusing the Biden administration of neglecting the astronauts.