Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were barely known outside space circles when they strapped in for what was supposed to be a quick test flight last June. Nine months later, they’ve captured the world’s attention and hearts as NASA’s stuck astronauts.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have nearly half a century of combined experience as astronauts. But this is just their third time in space. Ms. Williams was born in Ohio but grew up in Massachusetts. She was a test pilot in the U.S. Navy and has spent more than 3,000 hours flying 30 different aircraft. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998.

After nine months on the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on March 18.