SHIMONA SHARMA
The North News
New Delhi, March 17
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore will return to Earth after a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has confirmed. Their return aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule is scheduled for 5:57 PM EST on Tuesday (3:27 AM IST on Wednesday), with a splashdown off the coast of Florida.
NASA had initially planned their return for Wednesday but brought it forward due to unfavorable weather later in the week. The agency will provide live coverage starting at 10:45 PM EST on Monday (8:15 AM IST on Tuesday), beginning with hatch closure preparations.
Williams and Wilmore originally launched on 5 June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, arriving at the ISS a day later. However, technical issues extended their stay, making it one of the longest missions for a commercial crew.
During her time on the ISS, Williams spent over 900 hours conducting scientific research, managing waste, and performing maintenance. She also played a key role in operating the Boeing Starliner, a $4.2bn spacecraft developed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Their return coincides with SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, which aims to enhance astronaut safety and spaceflight technology. The success of this mission is expected to influence the future of commercial space travel.
