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.

NASA astronaut Suni Williams launched with Butch Wilmore June 5, 2024, from Cape Canaveral. “Stuck” in space, Crew-9’s return to Earth is March 18, 2025