NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on Tuesday (March 18) after spending nine months in space. The duo left the Earth in June 2024 for an eight-day mission, but got stranded owing to technical issues. 

Now, a photograph purportedly showing the astronaut duo “fresh-faced and smiling” while exiting their capsule after 9-month-stay in space has been shared on social media platforms, with users using it to allege a “Studio NASA” conspiracy theory questioning the organisation’s missions. 

Multiple Facebook and X users shared the photo claiming, “Astronauts ‘stranded’ in space for 9 months, yet they step out of their capsule fresh-faced and smiling. Zero muscle atrophy, no rehab needed—just straight to the press tour. Must’ve been a comfy stay at Studio NASA.” 

Such posts can be seen here, here and here.

Also Read: 2024 Video Of Sunita Williams’ Arrival At ISS Shared As Her Celebration After Returning To Earth

Fact Check/Verification

A reverse image search on the viral photo led us to a report by the Mint, dated June 1, 2024. It featured a similar image of the astronauts with the caption, “NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams walk at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center…” The image showed the astronauts in the identical  background, and Wilmore holds the same flowers as seen in the viral photo.

Further, we found a blog on the official website of NASA, dated June 1, 2024, featuring a similar photograph, and stating, “NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore, commander, and Suni Williams, pilot, are suited up and on their way to the launch pad for today’s launch. The duo spent about an hour putting on their suits and completing suit leak checks inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida…” 

It also featured a YouTube video showing the astronauts taking “their first steps outside from the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to head to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for liftoff to the International Space Station at 12:25 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 1, 2024.” 

Also Read: Viral Photo Claiming To Show Sunita Williams With Donald Trump & Elon Musk Is AI-Generated

We were able to spot the exact moment showing Williams looking on one side and waving- as seen in the viral image – around 3 seconds into the YouTube video. 

Moreover, the viral image was also uploaded on stock photo website Getty Images with the caption, “CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – JUNE 01: NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore (L) and Pilot Suni Williams walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building on June 01, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The astronauts are heading to Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which sits atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 41 for NASA’s Boeing crew flight test to the International Space Station.”

 Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, was lifted off on June 5 from a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The first two launch attempts, May 6  and June 1, were called off due a faulty oxygen relief valve observation on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Centaur second stage and observation of a ground launch sequencer respectively.

Visuals showing the astronauts return to Earth were also shared by NASA and can be seen here. 

Also Read: Viral Photo Claiming To Show Canadian PM & Tom Hanks On Epstein Island Is AI-Generated

Conclusion

Hence, the viral posts claiming to show astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore ‘fresh faced’ after their return to Earth were found to be false.

Sources
Article By NASA, Dated June 1, 2024
YouTube Video By NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Dated June 1, 2024
Getty Images Website