Sunita Williams returns home after 9.5 months in microgravity
What's the story
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft successfully splashed down today, marking the return of astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Aleksandr Gorbunov from the International Space Station. It landed off Florida's Gulf Coast.
This event concludes a nine-month mission for Williams and Wilmore, who were stranded due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, extending their stay on the ISS beyond the eight-day original plan.
Twitter Post
Take a look at splashdown of Dragon
Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch, and Aleks! pic.twitter.com/M4RZ6UYsQ2
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 18, 2025
Return trip
Williams's challenging journey back to Earth
Williams's return journey started when the Crew-9 astronauts boarded the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, suiting up and undocking from the Harmony port of the ISS yesterday.
This 17-hour-long flight was closely monitored by teams at NASA and SpaceX.
The Dragon capsule performed flawlessly during its descent burn, creating a plasma wall outside due to friction with Earth's atmosphere. It completed parachute-assisted splash down at 3:27am.
Recovery phase
Recovery and rehabilitation process begins
All four Crew-9 astronauts exited Dragon capsule at around 4:30am IST.
After initial evaluations, the crew will transported by an airplace to a NASA facility for further tests and debriefings.
After that, they will be taken to Houston for a 45-day rehabilitation program.
In microgravity, astronauts lose muscle mass and bone density despite regular exercise. To counteract this, they follow an intensive rehabilitation program.
Twitter Post
Watch: Crew-9 astronauts exit from Dragon capsule
The most beautiful footage you’ll see today! All four astronauts have safely returned to Earth. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/y9hciZQvkO
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) March 18, 2025