The internet is buzzing as the world celebrates the arrival of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who returned to Earth on Tuesday evening, ending a protracted stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying the two astronauts along with Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, made a successful splashdown in the waters off the coast of Florida just minutes before 6 pm, as announced by NASA.
Spacecraft Recovery and Astronaut Exits
Once the spacecraft landed, it was brought aboard a recovery ship. Hague was the first to exit the capsule nearly 50 minutes after splashdown. Williams followed shortly after, emerging third. All three astronauts were assisted out of the spacecraft, smiling and waving to the waiting recovery crew. Originally, Williams and Wilmore had departed for the ISS on June 6, 2024, with plans for an eight-day mission, intending to return aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, a malfunction in the Starliner delayed their return, and they were eventually brought back aboard a spacecraft owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
“Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA teams for another safe astronaut return!” Musk posted on X, sharing a video of the splashdown, adding, “Thank you to @POTUS for prioritizing this mission!” This marks Williams’ third trip to the space station, where she and Wilmore spent a total of 287 days.
International Space Station Overview
The International Space Station orbits the Earth at an altitude of 254 miles (406.4 km) and travels at a speed of 4.76 miles per second. A collaborative effort between space agencies from the US, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Europe, the ISS was launched on November 20, 1998. After their return, Williams, Wilmore, and the other astronauts will be taken to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for medical evaluations to assess the effects of their prolonged stay in space.
White House On Sunita Williams’ Return
As soon as the news flooded the internet with joy, in a post on X, the White House shared, “NASA astronauts splashdown to Earth after nine months stuck in space.” It also mentioned that President Trump has fulfilled his promise: “Promise made, promise kept: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months. Today, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to Elon Musk, SpaceX, and NASA!”
Medical Assessments and Recovery
As per reports, the astronauts will undergo tests to examine both the short-term and long-term impacts of their extended time in space. Experts have noted that they may experience a range of effects, including changes in their physical condition due to the long stay. NASA stated that astronauts typically experience a recovery period of 45 days after such extended missions. “Generally, most crew members’ physiological systems recover within this time frame,” the space agency said in a statement issued on Monday.
The spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 1.00 am Tuesday, and the journey to Earth lasted 17 hours.
Challenges of Long-Duration Space Travel
Extended space missions can cause several changes in the human body, including growing taller and weakening muscles, as well as potential vision changes, as per reports. These are just some of the challenges astronauts face after long stays in space.
