Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore safely returned to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, following an unexpected nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
They were joined by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which splashed down off the coast of Florida just before 6 PM, as confirmed by NASA.
The capsule was retrieved by a recovery ship, with Hague being the first to exit nearly 50 minutes after splashdown, followed by Williams as the third crew member to disembark.
Williams and Wilmore initially departed for the ISS on June 6, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner, intending to stay for just eight days.
However, a technical malfunction delayed their return, ultimately requiring a ride back on a SpaceX spacecraft.
“Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA teams for another safe astronaut return!” tweeted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, sharing a video of the splashdown.
This marked the third trip to the ISS for Williams, an astronaut of Indian descent. She and Wilmore spent an extended 287 days in orbit. The ISS, a collaborative project of the US, Russia, Japan, Canada, and European space agencies, orbits Earth at an altitude of 254 miles (406 km) and travels at a speed of 4.76 miles per second. It has been operational since its launch on November 20, 1998.
Following their return, the astronauts will undergo medical evaluations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to assess the short- and long-term effects of their prolonged spaceflight.
Experts note that extended stays in microgravity can lead to physical changes, including increased height, weakened muscles, and potential vision alterations.
NASA stated that most physiological systems typically recover within a 45-day rehabilitation period.
The SpaceX spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 1 AM on Tuesday, completing the 17-hour journey back to Earth.
Born in Ohio to parents of Indian and Slovenian descent, Sunita Williams will turn 60 later this year.
A graduate of the US Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in physical science and a master’s in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology, Williams boasts a distinguished career.
She logged over 3,000 flight hours in more than 30 aircraft during her time in the US Navy and later became a test pilot.
Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998, she previously completed two long-duration missions to the ISS in 2006–2007 and 2012.
