NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Returns to Earth After Extended Mission
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, along with fellow American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, have successfully returned to Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, Freedom, splashed down off the Florida coast near Tallahassee at 5:58 PM ET (2157 GMT | 3:38 AM IST).
A recovery vessel swiftly retrieved the crew before they were flown to Houston for post-mission rehabilitation.
Originally planned for a shorter duration, the astronauts’ mission was extended due to technical delays. Their return marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in NASA’s ongoing space exploration efforts.
