With their safe splashdown and landing of Crew-9 in Dragon Freedom, NASA and SpaceX have successfully concluded another crucial space mission.
NASA astronauts Sunita (Suni) Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were stuck in space for almost 9 months are back in gravity. They safely splashdown today at around 3:30 AM IST on Wednesday (March 19, 2025). ). Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida.
After spending 286 days in the International Space Station (ISS), the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule’s safe return has been marked as the end of an extended mission for the two astronauts.
Unexpectedly long stay in space: Blessing or disguise?
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were launched into space on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule. Their stay was scheduled to be only eight days, but due to technical issues with Starliner, their return got delayed, forcing NASA to keep them on the ISS for an extended period.
After taking all the preventive measures, NASA decided to bring them back by using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, but further delays pushed their return date even later.
Record-breaking mission
During their stay, Williams and Wilmore adapted to life aboard the ISS, taking on responsibilities as full-time crew members. They participated in several experiments, conducted spacewalks and even set records.
Williams reportedly became the female astronaut with the most time spent on spacewalks, logging 62 hours across nine missions.
Welcome back to Earth
The return of the astronauts was met with prayers and celebrations across the U.S. and India. Williams (59 years age) has Indian connections and Slovenian heritage is widely admired. He received huge blessings from Hindu temples, while Wilmore was honoured by his church community.
Despite the challenges of their prolonged stay, both astronauts expressed gratitude for the experience. However, they also admitted that being away from their families for so long was difficult. Wilmore missed his daughter’s senior year in high school, while Williams stayed connected with loved ones through video calls.
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