After spending a total of 286 days in space — 278 days longer than anticipated — the two astronauts will now potentially be compensated for the inconvenience of their prolonged mission, according to an ex-NASA astronaut.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally back home after a mission into space stretched nine months beyond expectations.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams left the International Space Station after nine months in space, checking out with two other astronauts. Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening,