Sunita Williams and NASA Astronauts Return After 286 Days: The Body's Battle With Space

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NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov splashed down safely off Tallahassee, Florida on March 18, 2025

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Williams and Wilmore ended up spending 286 days in space—nearly nine months—after NASA decided to return the Starliner uncrewed due to propulsion problems and helium leaks.

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It was Williams' third spaceflight, bringing her cumulative time in space to 608 days, making her second among U.S. astronauts for total time in space.

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The return of Williams and Wilmore after such an extended mission provides valuable data on the health effects of long-duration spaceflight.

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The first two to three days following return involve rapid physiological adjustment, but regaining full physical strength typically takes two to three months.

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Upon arrival at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Williams and Wilmore will undergo several days of health evaluations.

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They will then begin NASA's structured 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program.

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Despite decades of human spaceflight experience, knowledge gaps remain about spaceflight's impact on human health.

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The data gathered from Williams and Wilmore's unexpectedly prolonged mission will contribute to our understanding of long-duration spaceflight effects and help develop countermeasures for future extended missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

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