NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after a delayed nine months in space.
What went wrong?
The two astronauts ended up spending 286 days in space, which is 278 longer than anticipated, when they launched NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Williams and Wilmore began their journey on June 6 of last year on an eight-day mission, but Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was discovered to have critical issues such as helium leaks and other system malfunctions. Therefore, NASA decided in September 2024 to send the Starliner without the crew.
During their 9-month stay in space, Williams and Wilmore contributed significantly to science by participating in over 150 experiments with over 900 hours to research. The two astronauts expertly adapted to the anti-gravity conditions due to their prolonged stay and actively engaged with the ongoing ISS operations.
The much-awaited return
The two astronauts, along with American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, safely landed off the Florida coast at 3:27 am IST in a SpaceX Crew Dragon. NASA’s medical team will now carefully monitor the Crew-9 astronauts to study how an extended stay in space affects human physiology to improve future long-term missions to space and potential missions to Mars. Williams and Wilmore will also undergo a 45-day rehabilitation programme to adjust to gravity.
Reactions
- Havan was performed in Jhulsan,Gujarat, the hometown of Sunita Williams, for her safe return to Earth.
- Gujarat’s Mehsana village, the ancestral village of Williams, will celebrate her return in Diwali-like festivities.
- Indian PM Narendra Modi wrote a letter to Williams, calling her “India’s illustrious daughter” and wished for her safe return. The prime minister invited the astronaut to India in the letter that he sent to Williams through astronaut Mike Massimino, whom he met on March 1.
- SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk and US president Donald Trump has blamed the Biden administration for the delayed return of the astronauts
- “Congratulations to the SpaceX and NASA teams for another safe astronaut return! Thank you POTUS for prioritising this mission!” Musk tweeted.
- “Promise made, promise kept: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months,” White House tweeted.
