LIVE: Splashdown: Global cheer as Sunita Williams and crew back on Earth
The four-member crew, including Sunita Williams, on board the SpaceX capsule, splashed down at 3.27 am IST Wednesday
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have made a safe return to Earth following their mission on the International Space Station (ISS). They travelled back aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which smoothly re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the waters off the coast of Florida, near Tallahassee. The milestone event unfolded at 3:27 am on Wednesday (March 19).
Williams and fellow NASA astronaut, Butch Wilmore, finally undocked from the ISS and left for Earth on board a SpaceX capsule at 10.35 am (IST) on Tuesday to close out a dramatic marathon mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight more than nine months ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to Williams, inviting her to visit India. The letter, written on March 1, was sent through former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino.
‘Stuck at work’
Williams and Wilmore travelled to the ISS in June last year for a scheduled eight-day mission. However, they were forced to stay back as the Boeing Starliner capsule developed issues with its propulsion system.
The duo spent 286 days on the ISS, where they conducted over 4,500 orbits and travelled more than 121 million statute miles, NASA said in its commentary.
Their plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work”. While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.
With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a new record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.
Also read:
Live: NASA Crew-10 enters space station, welcomed with hugs and handshakes
Ex-DRDO chief's take on Sunita Williams' impending return | Dr.William Selvamurthy
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Live Updates
- 18 March 2025 1:19 PM IST
It’s been a privilege to call the @Space_Station home, to play my part in its 25-year legacy of doing research for humanity, and to work with colleagues, now friends, from around the globe. My spaceflight career, like most, is full of the unexpected. pic.twitter.com/80jJ0Zn1sM
— Nick Hague (@AstroHague) March 17, 2025 - 18 March 2025 1:17 PM IST
They're on their way! #Crew9 undocked from the @Space_Station at 1:05am ET (0505 UTC). Reentry and splashdown coverage begins on X, YouTube, and NASA+ at 4:45pm ET (2145 UTC) this evening. pic.twitter.com/W3jcoEdjDG
— NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025 - 18 March 2025 11:50 AM IST
Crew Dragon sets course for re-entry, astronauts take break before busy homecoming
The Crew Dragon spacecraft has begun maneuvering into position for a Tuesday afternoon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, marking a critical phase of its return journey. As the astronauts prepare for the intense re-entry process, they’ll take some time to rest and grab a meal, with NASA and SpaceX updates expected to be sparse in the coming hours.
- 18 March 2025 11:49 AM IST
Crew Dragon clears safety zone, avoids collision risk with Space Station
The Crew Dragon has successfully exited the “approach ellipsoid”, a critical boundary that prevents potential collisions with the International Space Station, mitigating risks such as catastrophic collision damage, loss of crew and spacecraft, disruption of space station operations, and debris generation in orbit.
- 18 March 2025 11:34 AM IST
Crew will undergo NASA's 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program
NASA's 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program is designed to help astronauts recover from the physical effects of spaceflight, particularly those experienced after long-duration missions on the International Space Station (ISS) or other space environments.
While the program lasts 45 days, full recovery may take longer, especially after extended space missions. Some astronauts report lingering effects even months or years later, particularly in bone density and cardiovascular health.
- 18 March 2025 11:30 AM IST
Crew will change into more comfortable clothes
NASA said the crew is now settling in for the 17-hour journey back to Earth, and were permitted to change from their space suits into more comfortable clothes.
