NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Returns from SpaceX Mission: After spending nine months aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have successfully splashed down on Earth. Their long-awaited return began on Tuesday morning when they departed the ISS aboard a SpaceX capsule. Wilmore and Williams, both experienced NASA astronauts and retired US Navy test pilots, undocked from the space station at 1:05 a.m. ET (0505 GMT), along with two other crew members. The four-person team, part of NASA’s Crew-9 mission, splashed down off Florida’s coast at 5:57 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Sunita Williams SpaceX Mission Return Live: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, have successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) and returned to Earth.
The crew separated from the ISS at 10:35 a.m. IST and spent approximately 17 hours in transit before landing in the Gulf of Mexico—now referred to as the “Gulf of America” by the Trump administration—at 3:27 a.m. IST on Wednesday.
WATCH Landing LIVE:
Why Did Sunita Williams Stay on the ISS?
NASA encountered thruster malfunctions in their Boeing Starliner capsule, which was supposed to bring Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, back to Earth. As a result, the astronauts were left stranded on the ISS. Due to the technical issues with the capsule, which was also meant to return them, NASA had no choice but to send the spacecraft back empty, extending their stay in orbit. The astronauts’ return was further delayed due to setbacks in launching their replacement mission, SpaceX’s Crew-10.
Will NASA Pay Sunita Williams Overtime for Her Extended Stay?
As Williams prepares to return home, there has been speculation about whether she will receive overtime compensation for her extended time in space. NASA astronaut Cady Coleman clarified to Washingtonian magazine that there would be no extra pay for the extended stay.
Health Challenges After Extended Stay in Space
After nearly nine months in space, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are facing potential health challenges as they return to Earth. Prolonged stays in space can cause muscle loss, weakened bones, dizziness, and “baby feet.” Experts explain how astronauts undergo rehabilitation and readjust to Earth’s gravity following such extended missions.
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