NASA astronauts return to Earth after surprise space stay

The pair splashed down off the coast of Florida on 18 March after nine months in space

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These pictures mark a successful end to NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore’s extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). After taking the first crewed test flight of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft up to the ISS for a planned eight-day mission last June, safety concerns about their return trip meant that Williams and Wilmore had to extend their stay.