BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Astronauts home after 9 months in space
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The story
After nine months in space, Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have finally arrived back on Earth.
Their stay on the International Space Station (ISS) was only supposed to last eight days, but their mission was dramatically extended after the spacecraft that they arrived on, called 'Starliner', began to have technical problems.
Starliner was sent back to Earth empty in September 2024, so Butch and Suni needed an alternative spacecraft to take them home. Nine months after they arrived, they're finally back.
News headlines
Nasa's stranded astronauts finally begin return to Earth after being stuck in space for months
The Independent
Two astronauts stuck in space for more than nine months head back to Earth
Sky News
NASA's stranded astronauts are FINALLY on way home after nine grueling months
Daily Mail
Key words and phrases
stuck
unable to move
The lock on the bathroom door broke, so I was stuck in there for hours!
head back
return
My parents are just heading back from the restaurant now – they'll be home soon.
grueling/gruelling
extremely tiring or difficult
I've got a gruelling schedule at work tomorrow – back-to-back meetings all day with no breaks.
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