NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have safely returned to Earth after spending an arduous 286 days in space, marking the end of their extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The duo, along with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast at 5:57 p.m. EDT on March 18.

Wilmore and Williams had originally launched to the ISS on June 6, while Hague and Gorbunov had been on the station since September 29, 2024. The return journey began with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undocking from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT, initiating a complex re-entry sequence. The deorbit burn, lasting approximately 7.5 minutes, placed the spacecraft on a precise trajectory for its descent.

First Visuals Of NASA’s Butch Wilmore, Sunita Williams After Their Return To Earth

Four minutes before splashdown, the Dragon deployed its drogue parachutes at 18,000 feet, slowing its descent as it travelled at 350 miles per hour. Less than a minute later, the main parachutes deployed at 6,000 feet, further reducing speed to 119 miles per hour before the spacecraft made its final approach.

Recovery teams aboard a SpaceX ship were on standby, swiftly securing the Dragon upon landing. Two fast boats ensured the capsule was stable before the main recovery ship moved in to hoist it onto its deck. Once on board, the astronauts underwent initial medical checks before being flown to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA and SpaceX are set to hold a media briefing at 7:30 p.m. EDT, where key officials—including Joel Montalbano, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for space operations, and Steve Stich, manager of the Commercial Crew Program—will discuss the mission’s conclusion.