U.S. astronauts exit space capsule after long-awaited splashdown

NASA astronauts returned to Earth last week after nine months in space. Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore expected to spend eight days at the International Space Station during a test flight on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft in June 2024. But, technical problems forced that spacecraft to return without them. Like other astronauts weakened by extended stays in space, the pair last week were helped out of the spacecraft that finally brought them home, placed on gurneys and taken for medical examinations.

Class discussion: What does an extended time floating in a strange, low gravity environment do to a person’s muscles, bones and even their brains? How much more radiation are astronauts exposed to compared with earthbound humans? How long does it take for astronauts to recover from the effects of long space flights? SpaceX is testing a spacecraft to be used for a manned trip back to the moon. Elon Musk says it also could be used to fly to Mars. How long would that take? Should a robot craft attempt a round-trip to Mars before any humans?