New Delhi: Astronaut Sunita Williams has returned to Earth after spending more than nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), far longer than the brief mission originally planned. Williams, along with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, splashed down off the coast of Florida in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule early on Wednesday.

The two had travelled to the ISS in June last year on what was meant to be a short-duration mission to test Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. However, due to propulsion issues that left the vehicle unfit for a return journey, they remained in orbit until a replacement spacecraft brought them back. They were accompanied on the return trip by American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and safely landed in the ocean at 3:27 am IST, deploying parachutes in the final stage of descent.

A voice from mission control confirmed the landing, saying, "Crew-9 back on Earth. Nick, Aleksandr, Butch and Suni, on behalf of SpaceX, welcome home." Hague responded, "What a ride. I see a capsule full of grins, ear to ear."

Experts described the astronauts' safe return as a moment of scientific achievement. Space strategist P.K. Ghosh said their extended stay demonstrated how technology and teamwork can overcome unexpected challenges in space. Scientist Narottam Sahoo described the mission as an example of human perseverance and exploration.

NASA marked the occasion by highlighting that humans have maintained a continuous presence in space for 25 years. "If you're younger than 25 years, you've never known a day when there hasn't been a human living and working aboard the International Space Station," said NASA commentator Sandra Jones.

During their mission, Williams and Wilmore travelled over 121 million miles, spending 286 days in orbit and completing 4,576 Earth orbits. Hague and Gorbunov, who were on a shorter mission, completed 2,736 orbits over 171 days.

Williams’ return comes just two days after the birth anniversary of Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-origin woman in space, who lost her life in the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster. Williams, the second astronaut of Indian descent to fly to space, has now logged a total of 608 days in orbit across three missions.

NASA astronauts of Williams’ rank typically earn between $125,000 and $162,000 per year. For the extended ISS stay, Williams and Wilmore are expected to receive salaries ranging from $94,000 to $123,000, including incidental pay.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Williams and the Crew-9 team in a post on X, writing, "Earth missed you," and praising their resilience in the face of challenges.

Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you.

Theirs has been a test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit. Sunita Williams and the #Crew9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance truly means. Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown… pic.twitter.com/FkgagekJ7C

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2025

BI Bureau