Fact Check: Astronaut Sunita Williams and Wilmore hid in ‘Studio NASA’, were not stranded in space? No, here’s the truth
Post the successful re-entry and splashdown of the SpaceX capsule carrying the NASA astronauts, an image of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore is circulating on social media with the claim that they were at ‘Studio NASA’.
By K Sherly Sharon
Claim:The image proves that Sunita Williams and Wilmore hid inside ‘Studio NASA’, instead of being stranded in a spacecraft.
Fact:The claim is false. The image was taken on June 1, 2025, before their spacecraft lifted off on June 5.
Hyderabad: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on March 19, 2025.
Williams and Wilmore, members of Crew-9, have been aboard the ISS since June 2024. Initially, their mission was planned for just eight days, but technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft led to an extended stay.
In this context, an image showing both Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in spacesuits is going viral on social media. In the image, we can see Wilmore holding flowers in his hands as Williams waves at the camera. Sharing the image, a few social media users are claiming that the astronauts were at ‘Studio NASA’, indicating that they were not actually stranded in their spacecraft.
The text on the image says, “Stranded NASA astronauts officially touch down on Earth for the first time in 9 months after an 8-day mission went wrong.”
A Facebook user shared the image with the caption, “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.” (Archive)
Similar claims were made by Twitter accounts by the name Flat Earth Zone and Flat Earth TW. (Archive 1, Archive 2)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral image was taken in June 2024.
Using keyword search we found a Reuters news report published on August 25, 2024, with the title “Who are the first astronauts to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner?” The second image in the report’s carousel shows Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in their spacesuits. In this image, we can see Wilmore holding orange roses in his hand.
The photo caption stated that the image was taken on June 1, 2024. It stated, “NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams walk at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, on the day of Boeing’s Starliner-1 Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US”
A similar image of the astronauts at the Kennedy Space Centre can be found on Getty, a stock image website. The description stated that the image was taken on June 1, 2024.
A video uploaded by NASA's Kennedy Space Centre on YouTube shows the astronauts walking from the Neil A Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to head to Space Launch Complex-41. The video was shot on June 1, 2024, and the video was uploaded on the same day. At the 0:03-minute mark in the video, we can see Wilmore holding orange-coloured roses and Williams waving to the cameras.
It is clear that the image in the viral video was taken on 1 June 2024. According to Space.com, Starliner, the spacecraft, lifted off June 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A YouTube livestream by NASA on March 19, 2025, shows the NASA SpaceX Crew-9 re-entry and splashdown. At the 02:08:12-hour mark in the video, we can see the astronauts being brought out from the SpaceX capsule and taken away on reclining stretchers.
Following the splashdown, various news organisations have written about the possible health complications that the astronauts could undergo.
A Times of India report said, “The absence of gravity causes numerous physiological changes in astronauts. Their bone density decreases, muscles deteriorate, and they face issues with motor control, coordination and balance. The absence of gravity impacts their immune system, cardiovascular functions, vision and DNA structure.”
TOI added that most health effects are temporary, with only a few persistent issues noted.
India Today reported that the astronauts can lose about 1 per cent of bone mass per month, particularly in the lower spine, hips and femur, raising fracture risks upon return. The report further said, “To counteract this, they follow a rigorous exercise routine, helping maintain strength and bone health during their mission.”
The term ‘Studio NASA’ refers to the conspiracy theories surrounding moon landing. This indicates that the viral claims were made with the intention to mislead people.
There are various videos of the NASA astronauts giving interviews to media, conducting spacewalks to repair the station hardware, and delivering greetings from space station. These videos show that the astronauts have actually spent time in the space.
Therefore, NewsMeter concludes that the claim is misleading. The image in the viral post was taken on June 1, 2025, before the spacecraft lifted off on June 5. It does not show the astronauts post-splashdown.
