The stranded NASA duo splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday evening after a 17-hour journey on a SpaceX capsule.
In calm sea conditions they were welcomed back to Earth by a pod of dolphins as well as a recovery ship.
The pair were then taken for medical checks along with fellow returning astronauts NASA'S Nick Hague and Russian Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Butch, 62, and Suni, 59, were only due to be on board the International Space Station for eight days.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583504377/1742433353/articles/adl7_Ycjm1742457456655/KN2-Q9tV-1742457539738.jpg]
But the Boeing Starliner craft they arrived on last June suffered technical problems and it was decided it would be safer for them to stay put while it returned to Earth without them.
They now face weeks of grappling with the effects of prolonged weightlessness. Doctors warned they would be unable to walk unassisted after they touched down, having spent longer than planned in the microgravity environment of space.
Dr Vinay Gupta, a former US Air Force medical officer, said: "Living in low gravity leads to muscle atrophy and bone density loss, meaning they'll struggle to stand or walk on their own initially. They'll need up to six weeks' rehabilitation to regain their strength." The astronauts began their recovery the moment they landed. The first phase will focus on walking, f...
In calm sea conditions they were welcomed back to Earth by a pod of dolphins as well as a recovery ship.
The pair were then taken for medical checks along with fellow returning astronauts NASA'S Nick Hague and Russian Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Butch, 62, and Suni, 59, were only due to be on board the International Space Station for eight days.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583504377/1742433353/articles/adl7_Ycjm1742457456655/KN2-Q9tV-1742457539738.jpg]
But the Boeing Starliner craft they arrived on last June suffered technical problems and it was decided it would be safer for them to stay put while it returned to Earth without them.
They now face weeks of grappling with the effects of prolonged weightlessness. Doctors warned they would be unable to walk unassisted after they touched down, having spent longer than planned in the microgravity environment of space.
Dr Vinay Gupta, a former US Air Force medical officer, said: "Living in low gravity leads to muscle atrophy and bone density loss, meaning they'll struggle to stand or walk on their own initially. They'll need up to six weeks' rehabilitation to regain their strength." The astronauts began their recovery the moment they landed. The first phase will focus on walking, f...
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Daily Express (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 20, 2025