SpaceX Dragon undocks from ISS—Sunita Williams begins journey to home
What's the story
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying Sunita Williams successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 10:35am IST on March 18.
Alongside Williams, the spacecraft is also carrying other NASA Crew-9 astronauts, namely Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Russia's Aleksandr Gorbunov.
The undocking of Dragon has initiated their 17-hour return journey to Earth. The capsule detached from the ISS Harmony module's forward port and maneuvered away with controlled thruster firings.
Return mission
When will Williams and others land on Earth?
Over the next several hours, the Dragon capsule will refine its path, perform system checks, and prepare for the deorbit burn early Wednesday.
Re-entry will subject Dragon to intense heat before parachutes deploy for an Atlantic Ocean splashdown at approximately 3:27am IST on March 19.
Last year, Williams and Wilmore had embarked on a eight-day test flight aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
However, due to helium leaks and propulsion system malfunctions in the Starliner, their stay turned into a nine-month-long mission.
Research contribution
Astronauts adapted to extended stay, contributed to research
The Starliner returned to Earth without the astronauts in September 2024, freeing up docking port for other spacecraft.
During their long stay at ISS, Williams and Wilmore conducted over 150 scientific experiments. They were later added to the SpaceX Crew-9 mission for their return journey.
The recently launched Crew-10 mission enabled the crew exchange required for Williams and Wilmore's departure.
Mission highlights
Williams and Wilmore's mission highlights SpaceX's reliability
The return of Williams and Wilmore highlights a number of important developments in space exploration. It shows how SpaceX's Dragon capsule is proving to be a reliable mode of transport for astronauts.
The Crew-10 launch also highlights the significance of long-duration missions in understanding the effects of long-duration space travel, and the continued success of Falcon 9 booster landings.
This solidifies the viability of reusable rocket technology, making future crewed missions more sustainable.