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USA Today
19-03-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Starliner saga: See photos of astronauts landing, exiting SpaceX Dragon in Florida
Starliner saga: See photos of astronauts landing, exiting SpaceX Dragon in Florida Show Caption Hide Caption Starliner astronauts return to Earth after over nine months in space Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams splashed down off the coast of Florida after over nine months in space. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally back on solid ground. The NASA astronauts who months ago flew to space aboard Boeing's failed Starliner spacecraft landed Tuesday evening off the coast of Florida on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The vehicle was the same one selected for their return voyage months ago when two astronauts of a SpaceX mission known as Crew-9 reached the International Space Station. The Crew-9 team, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, were also on board the Dragon Freedom when it made a dramatic parachute-assisted splashdown following a lengthy 17-hour spaceflight. For Wilmore and Williams, the water landing brought to an end an unexpected nine-month mission to orbit when they piloted the Boeing Starliner for its maiden crewed voyage. The vehicle, which encountered technical issues when it reached the orbital laboratory, returned in September to Earth without them. Plenty of people were tuned in to livestreams of the SpaceX Dragon when it neared Earth to prepare for landing. But if you missed Wilmore and Williams' return to Earth, here are photos of the Dragon's landing, followed by the four spacefarers exiting the craft. See photos of SpaceX Dragon landing off Florida coast See photos of Crew-9, Starliner astronauts unboarding Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Starliner saga: See photos of astronauts landing, exiting SpaceX Dragon in Florida
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally back on solid ground. The NASA astronauts who months ago flew to space aboard Boeing's failed Starliner spacecraft landed Tuesday evening off the coast of Florida on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The vehicle was the same one selected for their return voyage months ago when two astronauts of a SpaceX mission known as Crew-9 reached the International Space Station. The Crew-9 team, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, were also on board the Dragon Freedom when it made a dramatic parachute-assisted splashdown following a lengthy 17-hour spaceflight. For Wilmore and Williams, the water landing brought to an end an unexpected nine-month mission to orbit when they piloted the Boeing Starliner for its maiden crewed voyage. The vehicle, which encountered technical issues when it reached the orbital laboratory, returned in September to Earth without them. Plenty of people were tuned in to livestreams of the SpaceX Dragon when it neared Earth to prepare for landing. But if you missed Wilmore and Williams' return to Earth, here are photos of the Dragon's landing, followed by the four spacefarers exiting the craft. Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Starliner astronauts return to Earth: See photos of landing, unboarding
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Astronauts Splash Down Off Florida Coast After 9 Months In Space
Two NASA astronauts have splashed down off Florida's coast after spending nine months stuck in space due to a malfunctioning return ship and a series of delays and staffing issues. A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams landed in the Gulf of Mexico just before 6 p.m. ET Tuesday. NASA's Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov of Russia's Roscosmos space agency joined the pair in the capsule. After splashdown, it's expected to take about an hour for the Dragon capsule and its crew to be retrieved. (Live video of the event can be seen here.) Wilmore and Williams had been at the International Space Station since June after their original ride there, a Boeing Starliner spacecraft, malfunctioned. Their visit was initially expected to last about nine days but it ultimately stretched into nearly a year, leading to criticism and speculation that they had been 'stranded' there. The pair was meant to only test out Boeing's Starliner transportation vessel. But after safely reaching the space station, the vessel, which experienced issues and delays before liftoff, was determined to be too risky for the pair's return use and it was sent back to Earth unmanned. NASA later said the astronauts would instead return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that docked at the space station with two empty seats for them in September. That spacecraft, called Dragon Freedom, wasn't scheduled to leave for Earth until February, however. Come December, NASA said it would again have to postpone their return to late March, at the earliest, due to technical issues on Earth with a new Dragon vehicle that was meant to carry a relief crew up to replace Wilmore and Williams. To help speed things up, a different Dragon spacecraft was ultimately launched on Friday with a relief crew, allowing the Dragon Freedom's departure from the space station early Tuesday. The space agency argued that they could bring back Wilmore and Williams at any time but that the pair had become full-fledged station crew members at the space station and returning them to Earth before other astronauts were available to replace them would jeopardize the science and maintenance of the station. President Donald Trump in late January further stoked scrutiny of the astronauts' conditions when he publicly alleged that they had 'been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration.' He said he had personally asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to 'go get' the astronauts. NASA said such a plan had already been in the works with SpaceX for months, however. Throughout the public criticism and skepticism, both Wilmore and Williams publicly maintained that they were healthy and well, though eager to return to Earth. NASA's Stuck Astronauts Are Finally Returning To Earth After 9 Months In Space SpaceX Launches New Crew To Replace NASA's Stuck Astronauts SpaceX Flight To Replace NASA's Stuck Astronauts Delayed NASA's Stranded Astronauts Take Spacewalk Together Amid Ongoing Limbo Trump Tells Elon Musk To 'Go Get' NASA Astronauts On ISS Since June Stuck NASA Astronauts' Return To Earth Delayed Again
Sky News
18-03-2025
- Science
- Sky News
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore latest: Splashdown! Astronauts back on Earth after months unexpectedly stuck in space
Splashdown! They're home! Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams - in the Dragon Freedom capsule - have just hit the water just off Tallahassee, Florida. "Splashdown - crew nine back on earth," the control room says. "On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home." "What a ride," we hear from the capsule in response. It's a very calm ocean, but it will now take around an hour for the astronauts to be fished out and before they can touch dry land again. Parachutes deployed - splashdown imminent We've just heard from SpaceX that the two sets of parachutes have been deployed successfully. First to go are the two drogue parachutes - also called drag chutes - which are designed for deployment from a rapidly moving object. Shortly after, four main parachutes deploy. This is all done automatically by the craft when it detects certain velocities and altitudes. That now means we're just a couple of minutes away from splashdown. First sight of the capsule - as crew back in contact Here's a first view of the Dragon capsule from below... Mission control has now been able to contact the crew again after a brief communications blackout. Parachutes next... Prayers for Suni Williams in her ancestral village A reminder of what this means for people on the ground who have been missing the astronauts. In Jhulasan, India, the ancestral village of Sunita Williams people have been praying in the last few hours for her safe return. Williams is American but of Indian origin. The prayers are taking place at a temple. 'See you on the other side': Capsule in communications blackout For the next few minutes, we'll have a "loss of signal" from the Dragon capsule. That means all communications will drop for a short period of time. The loss of signal is caused because, as the Dragon wades through the Earth's atmosphere, plasma builds up around the heat shield of the capsule, blocking signals. "See you on the other side," the control room tells the crew. Just joining us? Here's where we are. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are almost home after nine months stuck in space. The Dragon capsule is carrying them back - and everything is going to plan so far. The nose cone has just closed and everything is "nominal". We'll next experience a "loss of signal" as the capsule makes its way through the Earth's atmosphere - meaning all communications will drop for a short period of time. We'll be able to hear from the crew once again at around 21.51 when signal is re-established. After they've cleared the atmosphere, the parachutes will deploy to slow it down before we finally have our splashdown moment at 21.57. They'll land in waters just off Tallahassee, Florida. Nose cone closed - descent continues The nose cone has now closed - and everything is "nominal" in the Dragon capsule. The crew are about to make their way through the Earth's atmosphere. What's next? Once they clear the atmosphere, next up is the parachute deployment - to slow the capsule down so it can splashdown without breaking up. First to go will be the two drogue parachutes - also called drag chutes - which are designed for deployment from a rapidly moving object. That will occur at about 21.53 UK time. A minute later, four main parachutes deploy. This is all done automatically by the craft when it detects certain velocities and altitudes. Deorbit burn was successful The nose cone is now being closed ready for re-entry. Deorbit burn has started It's expected to take seven minutes - with four thrusters at the top of the capsule firing. The capsule has not yet re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. This burn is to make sure the capsule lands where NASA and SpaceX want it to - off the coast of Florida. The Dragon capsule is "flying itself", SpaceX say, with Crew 9 not having to do anything. How long will it take to collect the astronauts from the water off Florida? As we explained earlier, it's going to be around 10pm UK time - 9.57pm exactly - when the Dragon capsule splashes into the sea off of Florida. The presenters of the NASA/SpaceX coverage have just explained it could take an hour to retrieve the astronauts from the capsule in the water later.
Sky News
18-03-2025
- Science
- Sky News
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore latest: Astronauts returning to Earth after nine months stuck in space
21:16:21 Deorbit burn has started It's expected to take seven minutes - with four thrusters at the top of the capsule firing. The capsule has not yet re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. This burn is to make sure the capsule lands where NASA and SpaceX want it to - off the coast of Florida. The Dragon capsule is "flying itself", SpaceX say, with Crew 9 not having to do anything. 21:14:21 How long will it take to collect the astronauts from the water off Florida? As we explained earlier, it's going to be around 10pm UK time - 9.57pm exactly - when the Dragon capsule splashes into the sea off of Florida. The presenters of the NASA/SpaceX coverage have just explained it could take an hour to retrieve the astronauts from the capsule in the water later. 21:10:18 Deorbit under way - and 'trunk jettisoned' from Dragon capsule The spacecraft bringing Crew 9 back to Earth has begun the process of deorbit, which we touched on in our last post. A "trunk" - used to generate solar power while in space - has been separated from the capsule and jettisoned. This exposes the heat shield, ready for re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The trunk is no longer needed for power as the craft heads back to Earth. 21:02:13 Inside Dragon Freedom Here's a snapshot inside the Dragon Freedom spacecraft. We're about five minutes away from the "deorbit" procedure - the process of deliberately lowering the craft's orbit height, so it starts to re-enter the atmosphere. You can watch along at the top of this page. We'll also bring you updates as we get them. 20:56:01 Will the stranded astronauts have been paid overtime during their unexpected long stay in space? We're all wondering how the astronauts might feel on their return to Earth - but will they be any better off than they were expecting to be? On the first question, former astronaut Terry Virts said in an interview today the two "overwhelming sensations" on returning to Earth are feeling heavy and dizziness. Virts once served with Barry Wilmore and the pair did spacewalks on a previous mission to space. "You just feel really, really, really heavy. I felt like my helmet weighed 500lbs," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. On the dizziness, he added: "Your brain is going 'what just happened'. There used to be gravity, then there wasn't gravity for six months, now all of a sudden there's gravity." 'It will just be part of their standard pay' Astronomer Jennifer Miller also spoke to the station and answered a burning question from a listener - whether or not astronauts get overtime pay. "It will just be part of their standard pay," Miller explained. "When you're testing out these new capsules, although the plan is to just be up there for eight days, 10 days, a fortnight, something like that, it's not guaranteed because it's a test - you don't know how it's going to go. "It is all just part and parcel of the job. "They're not coming back to any big compensation payout or anything like that." I guess spending time in space - and having an unbeatable anecdote - is enough of a perk for Wilmore and Williams... 20:46:03 Watch: Moment trapped astronauts finally leave space station for home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally left the International Space Station to return home last night. A SpaceX capsule had transported four astronauts to the International Space Station on Sunday in a NASA crew-swap. Watch footage from the departure from the ISS below: 20:35:22 Why were the astronauts stranded in space? Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams blasted off to the ISS on 5 June, and were meant to be up there for just eight days. They were testing out Boeing's long-awaited Starliner, a ship designed to rival SpaceX's Crew Dragon that is currently used to ferry astronauts into space. But by the time they docked at the ISS, the Starliner had suffered major problems - with five helium leaks, five dead manoeuvring thrusters and a propellant valve that failed to close completely. It returned to Earth without them, after it was decided the astronauts would be safer waiting in orbit. Since then, the two US Navy veterans have completed spacewalks, experiments and even helped sort out the plumbing onboard. The astronauts have repeatedly said they have enjoyed the mission, with Williams describing the space station as her "happy place". "Every day is interesting because we're up in space and it's a lot of fun," she said earlier this month, although she added the waiting was likely hard for family members on the ground. The SpaceX vehicle taking them home arrived at the space station in September, carrying NASA's Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, along with two empty seats. Wilmore and Williams then stuck around so that the other two astronauts could complete their mission, although their return was once more delayed because of problems with the SpaceX rocket that was going to bring them back. 20:31:33 Good evening Hello and welcome to our live coverage, as we await the return of two NASA astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station for nine months. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to splash down off the coast of Florida shortly before 10pm UK time - it's scheduled for 9.57pm, to be exact. It will follow a 17-hour trip after a replacement crew arrived on the space station on Saturday night. We'll be bringing you live updates on their long-awaited return. Stay tuned.
