American astronauts return to Earth after 286 days in space
American astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, after spending 286 days on the International Space Station (ISS), are on their way back to Earth. The Crew Dragon capsule is set to splash down off the coast of Florida.
Williams and Wilmore, who have been aboard the ISS since June of last year, have begun their journey back to Earth.
As reported by NASA, the Crew Dragon capsule, which also carries American Nick Hague and Russian Aleksandr Gorbunov, was detached from the ISS late on Tuesday evening. The landing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon off the coast of Florida.
Long mission on the ISS
Williams and Wilmore embarked on their space journey as part of the first mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Initially, they planned for an eight-day stay on the ISS, but issues with the Starliner's propulsion system delayed their return. Ultimately, NASA decided that the astronauts would return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
Upon their return, the astronauts will spend a few days at NASA's center undergoing medical examinations. Long-term stays in space can lead to various health issues, such as muscle atrophy and vision impairment.
Records in space
Williams and Wilmore spent 286 days in space, which exceeds the average six-month mission duration on the ISS. In comparison, American astronaut Frank Rubio spent 371 consecutive days in space due to a malfunction in the Russian spacecraft. The most days spent in space is held by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, who has over 878 days to his credit.
After completing the mission, the astronauts will be able to return to their homes, but they must first undergo comprehensive examinations to assess the impact of their prolonged stay in space on their health.
