After 288 days stranded aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams finally made it home—and let’s just say, not everyone rolled out the red carpet, as reported by The Daily Mail.

Williams, a veteran astronaut and former Navy test pilot, returned to Earth on March 18 alongside her crewmate, Butch Wilmore. Their extended stay in orbit wasn’t part of the original plan.

What was supposed to be a short mission aboard Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft turned into a nearly 10-month ordeal, thanks to a series of technical failures that grounded the capsule in space.

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Once cleared by medical staff, Williams was finally able to return to her home in Needham, Massachusetts this week. There, she reunited with her two beloved labradors—and their reactions couldn’t have been more different.

In a clip posted to social media, Williams stepped onto her front lawn to be greeted by her tail-wagging companions. Her younger yellow lab darted toward her with uncontainable excitement, leaping and licking her face like a loyal pup who’d counted every day she was gone.

Then came the older, more seasoned labrador. Instead of joining the celebration, he decided a giant stick in the yard was far more interesting than his human who had just reentered the Earth’s atmosphere.

As Williams tried calling him over, he proudly strutted across the lawn with the stick in his mouth, seemingly unfazed by her return. “Showing off,” she quipped as she tried to get his attention. He wasn’t having it.

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Even after nearly 300 days apart, the old lab was serving her a good ol’ fashioned cold shoulder. “He’s giving me the cold shoulder,” Williams admitted with a chuckle. Still, at least one dog hadn’t forgotten who feeds them.

Williams’ space saga wasn’t her first rodeo. Selected as a NASA astronaut back in 1998, the 59-year-old has spent over 322 days in space, participated in nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours, and ran the first marathon in orbit back in 2007.

Watch: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ heartwarming reunion with her dogs after being stuck for 9 months in space.#SunitaWilliams #NASA #dogs #pets pic.twitter.com/oO9hXwUIet

— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) April 2, 2025

Before donning a NASA flight suit, she logged over 3,000 hours as a Navy test pilot, flying more than 30 types of aircraft. Her list of accolades includes the Legion of Merit and multiple Navy commendations.

Though her recent mission was marred by Boeing’s ongoing spacecraft troubles, Williams’ experience and grit were never in question.

For now, Williams is back on solid ground. And while one dog gave her a hero’s welcome, the other made it clear—life on Earth didn’t exactly stop without her.

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