After an unprecedented 285-day mission in space, U.S. astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have safely departed the International Space Station (ISS) and are en route to Earth.  

Joined by fellow American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, the duo left the ISS early Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, *Freedom*. NASA announced that the spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere later today, with a scheduled splashdown in Florida at 5:57 p.m.  

Wilmore, 62, and Williams, 59, initially planned for just a 10-day stay last summer. However, mechanical issues with their Boeing Starliner capsule forced NASA to send it back to Earth unmanned, leaving the astronauts stranded on the ISS awaiting a return flight.  

Complicating matters, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed that earlier return plans were scrapped by former President Joe Biden’s administration for political reasons—a claim officials have denied, asserting the delays were not politically driven.  

With their extended stay, Wilmore and Williams now rank sixth among NASA’s longest single spaceflights. The current record belongs to Frank Rubio, who spent 371 days in orbit after a Soyuz capsule leak in 2022.  

Their successful departure marks the end of a prolonged and challenging mission, with NASA and their families eagerly anticipating their safe return.