Mugdha Das

Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore return to Earth

Digital Desk: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, have safely returned to Earth after spending nine months in space. Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down off Florida's Gulf Coast near Tallahassee.

The mission, originally planned for eight days, was extended due to technical malfunctions. NASA officials praised the crew's resilience and adaptability during the unexpected extension.

According to reports, astronaut Hague radioed SpaceX flight controllers, confirming the successful deployment of the spacecraft's parachutes. He described the experience as a remarkable ride and noted the crew's joyful reactions.

A SpaceX recovery ship retrieved the spacecraft, and the crew underwent initial medical evaluations before emerging from the capsule. Williams and Wilmore were the last to exit the spacecraft.

NASA officials confirmed the crew's safe recovery, marking the end of their prolonged stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Meanwhile, People express joy and burst firecrackers in Jhulasan, the native village of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, after the successful Splashdown of SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Crew-9 at Tallahassee, Florida