What Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore Achieved As 8-Day Mission Turned To 286-Day Space Odyssey

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, after an unplanned 286-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally scheduled for just eight days, their mission was extended due to unforeseen technical issues, and they emerged from the experience as shining examples of resilience and adaptability.

Williams and Wilmore were launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024, from the US’ Space Launch Complex 41. The mission was intended to be a brief eight-day test flight. However, technical issues with the Starliner, including thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, led NASA to deem it unsafe for crewed re-entry.

Consequently, the decision was made to return the Starliner to Earth without astronauts on board, while Williams and Wilmore remained on the ISS. NASA ultimately decided that its astronauts would need a different ride home and, accordingly, in August, the space agency announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth.