When NASA astronaut Suni Williams launched into space in June 2024, she expected to be gone for just a week. But what was supposed to be a short mission aboard the International Space Station turned into nearly 10 long months away from home.
Mechanical malfunctions extended the mission far beyond its planned timeline, leaving Williams and her crewmate orbiting Earth — and far from everything and everyone they loved most.
Among the things she missed most were her two dogs, Rotor and Gunner, who had been her loyal companions through every chapter of her life on Earth.
Her friends at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) knew how deeply she loved her pups — so they decided to send a little piece of them to her. During a resupply mission, they shipped up mini figurines of Rotor and Gunner, hoping they’d bring a touch of home to the farthest reaches of space.
“What’s the number one thing that NASA astronaut Suni Williams missed during her 9-month stint in outer space?” WHOI later wrote. “Well, in addition to her family and fresh salad — it was her dogs, Rotor and Gunner!”
Meanwhile, back on Earth, Rotor and Gunner waited patiently, their tails probably wagging every time they heard her voice through a video call.
Then finally — after 10 long months — the day came. Williams’ mission ended successfully, and she touched down on Earth once again.
This week, she shared the moment that everyone had been waiting for: her reunion with Rotor and Gunner. In the video, the two dogs sprint toward her the second they spot her, tails spinning like propellers, covering her in kisses as she kneels to embrace them.
After months of floating among the stars, Williams was finally grounded again — in the best possible way.
Because no matter how far she travels from home, the truest welcome always comes with wagging tails.
