Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after what was originally planned as an eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which unexpectedly turned into a nine-month stay. They launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5 last year, and their return was made in SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft this morning.
The spacecraft deployed its parachutes and splashed down in the ocean off the coast of Florida. Williams and Wilmore were joined by NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov for the 17-hour journey back to Earth.
Here are 10 key points regarding Sunita Williams’ return:
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Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, both seasoned NASA astronauts and retired US Navy test pilots, were part of Starliner’s first crew when they launched in June last year. What was supposed to be an eight-day test mission turned into a nine-month stay due to issues with Starliner’s propulsion system.
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In August, NASA decided that the Starliner spacecraft, which had brought the astronauts to space, would return without them while they awaited the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Crew Dragon arrived at the ISS with empty seats, while the Starliner returned without a crew in September.
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While waiting, Williams and Wilmore continued their work aboard the ISS, conducting research and performing maintenance. Williams completed two six-hour spacewalks, one of which was with Wilmore.
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With this mission marking her third spaceflight, Sunita Williams now holds 608 cumulative days in space, ranking second for US astronauts after Peggy Whitson, who has 675 days. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko holds the world record with 878 days.
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The extended stay drew attention from US President Donald Trump, who pushed for their early return, claiming former President Joe Biden had abandoned them for political reasons. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, an ally of Trump, supported this call.
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The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the ISS on Friday with the new crew, completed the handover before undocking early Tuesday. The spacecraft then began its 17-hour journey home.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, acknowledging Williams’ Indian roots, invited her to visit India after her return.
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The four-person crew, part of NASA’s Crew-9 mission, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at approximately 5:45 p.m. ET. The spacecraft’s speed of 17,000 miles per hour was reduced to 17 miles per hour with the help of Earth’s atmosphere and parachutes, with splashdown occurring 50 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast under clear skies.
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After splashdown, the astronauts were lifted from the water onto a boat and will undergo routine health checks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston before being cleared to return home.
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The village of Sunita Williams in India celebrated after the successful return. The White House reiterated claims made by President Trump, saying that he had expedited the astronauts’ return, claiming, “Promises made, promises kept.”
