NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have finally returned to Earth following an extended nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The duo, originally sent for an eight-day mission, landed safely in the SpaceX Dragon capsule off the coast of Florida at 3:27 AM (IST).
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk praised the NASA-SpaceX teams for executing a successful return and expressed gratitude to former US President Donald Trump for supporting the mission. Musk stated that SpaceX had offered to bring the astronauts home earlier, but the Biden administration declined the request for “political reasons.”
The journey began on June 5, 2024, when Williams and Wilmore traveled aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. However, the Starliner spacecraft developed helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, forcing NASA to send it back to Earth without its crew. By August, NASA reassigned them to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, replacing two astronauts.
Following a 17-hour-long return journey, their capsule successfully splashed down. A NASA recovery team assisted the astronauts in adjusting to gravity. Williams, seen smiling and giving a thumbs-up, appeared in good spirits.
NASA confirmed that the astronauts would undergo medical evaluations before enjoying fresh meals.
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