NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on March 18 after a nine-month mission that was initially planned to last just eight days.

Axar.az, citing Reuters, reports that they had launched as the first crew aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in June, but technical issues with the Starliner led to significant delays, ultimately causing NASA to arrange their return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

The astronauts undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) and safely splashed down off the coast of Florida after a 17-hour journey.

Their extended stay on the ISS was subject to political scrutiny, with U.S. President Donald Trump urging a quicker return.

Despite the challenges, Wilmore and Williams conducted about 150 science experiments during their 286 days in space. The mission highlighted the continued difficulties Boeing faces with Starliner, while SpaceX's Crew Dragon remains the primary spacecraft for NASA’s crew rotations.