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NASA Live Updates: Splashdown! Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Return To Earth After 9 Long Months In Space
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are returning to Earth after 286 days in space due to glitches with the Starliner spacecraft. They are set to make a splashdown on Wednesday.
Background
Earth is welcoming astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore, who spent nine gruelling months in space. After being aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months, Williams and...More
NASA's capsule recovery vessel Megan is working to retrieve Dragon from the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore are back on Earth after 9 months. The re-entry was smooth and without any hitch. The splashdown took place in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) off the coast of Florida.
Parachutes have been deployed to slow down the spacecraft as Dragon successfully enters Earth's atmosphere. The parachutes will slow down the Dragon capsule til splashdown.
Communication channels have been restored with Crew-9 aboard SpaceX Dragon, marking successful re-entry of the spacecraft into the Earth's atmosphere. The spacecraft is going at over 350 miles per hour.
SpaceX Dragon has lost all communication with Earth due to plasma build-up around the spacecraft. This is typical and usually lasts anywhere between 6 and 10 minutes.
SpaceX's Dragon has begun its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. This process is the most crucial stage of the entire operation. The spacecraft-atmosphere friction generates nearly 2,000 degrees Celsius during the re-entry. The astronauts' suits have been injected with nitrox to keep them cool during the re-entry.
The crew aboard SpaceX Dragon has informed NASA that all systems are up and running for re-entry. In five minutes there will be a communications blackout.
NASA is preparing for a 7-minute communications blackout with SpaceX Dragon due to a plasma build-up outside the spacecraft. The splashdown will go on as scheduled. The splashdown zone is marked around the southern tip of Mexico, either in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) or the North Atlantic Ocean.
Dragon has completed de-orbit burn is complete. The spacecraft has set its final trajectory set for atmospheric re-entry. The nose of the SpaceX is now closed and ready for re-entry. The nose of the spacecraft has closed for the first time in several months. The final atmospheric re-entry will begin in 20 minutes.
SpaceX's Dragon has begun its de-orbit burn has begun. This is the final stage of setting the trajectory of the spacecraft. During the re-entry, SpaceX's Dragon will expose its heatshield.
The heat shield of the spacecraft absorbs huge heat generated by the friction of the spacecraft and the Earth's atmosphere.
'Trunk separation' is essentially the separation of the capsule from the power generation module. The power generation charges the capsule with solar power. However, now that the spacecraft is on its way back home, it doesn't need to generate anymore power. All operations henceforth will be run on the stored power.
SpaceX Dragon's deorbit sequence has begun. This will be followed by the trunk separation, which will be crucial as it will expose the heat shield which will absorb temperatures of over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This will be followed by a loss of communication due to the plasma build-up outside the entry capsule. The loss of signal usually lasts 6 to 10 minutes.
NASA has begun the live stream of SpaceX Crew-9's re-entry aboard the Dragon spacecraft and splashdown. The Dragon is bringing back Sunita Williams, 'Butch' Wilmore, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.
The Dragon's claw separation will take place in about 10 minutes.
Watch the NASA live stream here:
The "handover", a period which is marked by a smooth transition of operations from one set of crew members to another, was brought down to just two days from the standard five.
CNN quoting NASA reported that this adjustment was made to take advantage of a favourable weather window for Crew-9’s splashdown off the coast of Florida. Forecasts suggest that conditions will become less ideal later in the week, making an earlier return a safer option.
However, this shift in scheduling has further fueled a growing narrative. While Musk and Trump have repeatedly claimed credit for expediting Williams and Wilmore’s return, NASA officials have framed these changes as the result of routine mission planning and operational factors—carefully sidestepping any overt political implications.
As the astronauts prepare for their long-awaited journey home, the debate over who truly influenced their return continues to swirl.
The return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore has sparked widespread speculation, with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump suggesting that the Biden administration rejected an opportunity to bring them home sooner.
To put things in perspective, NASA had already planned as early as last August to bring Williams and Wilmore back with the Crew-9 mission. In recent weeks, the space agency, in coordination with SpaceX, has worked to accelerate that process. However, it's unclear how much direct influence Musk and Trump actually had on these developments.
NASA has consistently stated that Williams, Wilmore, and their fellow Crew-9 members needed to remain on the International Space Station (ISS) until the arrival of Crew-10. This overlap, a standard part of mission planning, allows for a seamless "handover" of station operations to the incoming crew.
For NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore, an extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has been less of an inconvenience and more of a welcomed bonus. Despite their mission stretching beyond its original timeline, both astronauts have embraced the experience, finding joy in the unique challenges of life in microgravity.
“This is my happy place,” Williams said back in September. “I love being up here in space. It’s just fun. Every day, we tackle work, but we get to do it sideways — so it definitely adds a new perspective.” While their enthusiasm for space exploration remains strong, Williams acknowledged that returning home is always on their minds. “Eventually, we want to go home,” she admitted. “We’ve been away from our families for a while, but there’s still a lot to accomplish before we leave.”
Dinesh Rawal, Sunita Williams's cousin, organised 'Yagna' in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, earlier today, for her safe return to Earth, ANI reported. He says, "Everyone in the family is praying for the safe arrival of Sunita. All are happy that she is coming back."
Astrophysicist RC Kapoor on probable health challenges faced by astronauts who stay for a long time in space.
Kapoor explained to PTI, "When you stay long enough in space, you are facing microgravity all the time because the International Space Station is going around the earth all the time. When you are inside it, you are also moving inside it. So you are in a state of weightlessness. When we are in such a state, our muscles do not work with that kind of efficiency. Gradually muscular atrophy is setting in, bone density is getting lost. When we are working on Earth, our body is all the time working against gravity. So there is sufficient strength in our system and therefore we can sustain our lives for a longer time. But there it is not there."
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are scheduled to splash down off the Florida coast at 5:57 PM ET on Tuesday (3:27 AM IST on Wednesday) aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, accompanied by fellow astronauts Nicholas Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov. Upon landing, they will be assisted out of the spacecraft and placed on stretchers due to the physical effects of prolonged microgravity, such as balance issues and muscle weakness. They will undergo immediate medical evaluations before being transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for further rehabilitation and debriefings.
The transition back to Earth’s gravity presents challenges, including dizziness and muscle atrophy. The astronauts will participate in a structured rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth’s environment, a process that can take several weeks.
Nilesh M Desai, Director of the Space Applications Centre, spoke about the complexities of manned space missions. "Like any manned mission, these are complicated missions since human beings are involved. That's why all precautions and care are taken to ensure nothing remains unattended, guaranteeing the safe transport of crew members back to the space station and eventually to Earth," he told PTI.
NASA posted on X, "#Crew9 will be difficult to spot in the daytime as it reenters Earth's atmosphere, but if you want to keep an eye out for @SpaceX's Dragon as it heads home today, we have the map for you."
Special prayers being held in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj for the safe return of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams.
Since their June 5 launch on Boeing's Starliner, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams spent almost 290 days in orbit on a mission that was initially anticipated to last just over a week.
Shortly after launch, the Starliner encountered helium leaks and propulsion issues that led to weeks and then months of tests and analysis. The Starliner was constructed as part of a NASA initiative to create autonomous commercial crew ships to transport humans to and from the space station.
In order to bring Wilmore and Williams down on the Starliner, NASA authorities determined that the hazards were too great. Instead, they decided to keep Wilmore and Williams on board the station until the conclusion of the Crew 9 trip and remotely brought Boeing's Starliner down without its crew.
Despite a mission that has been extended from a little over a week to almost nine months, Starliner astronaut Sunita Williams says she and crewmate Barry "Butch" Wilmore have not been "virtually abandoned" in space, in contrast to a recent social media remark by US President Donald Trump.
In an in-flight interview that aired Friday night, she told CBS Evening News co-anchor John Dickerson, "I don't believe I've been abandoned. I don't think we're stuck up here." "We have food. We are clothed. In the event that the International Space Station experiences a serious disaster, we have a ride home," she added.
"We're in a posture ... where we have the International Space Station fully manned and doing what the taxpayers wanted, to do world-class science. And so I feel honored, like I said, to be here and a part of the team."
Jhulasan village in Mehsana, Sunita Williams's paternal village, prays for her safe return.
As NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is returning from space, Scientist and Technology Researcher Milind Raj told PTI, "There is an atmosphere of a festival in the world. It is a historic space rescue mission. Such kind of mission is seldom seen. The day is not far when we will feel safe in space. We cannot imagine what challenges she would have faced for nine months in space. There are physical and mental challenges."
With prayers on their lips and anticipation in their hearts, residents of Jhulasan, the ancestral village of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams in Gujarat’s Mehsana district, are eagerly awaiting her safe return to Earth. The village has planned grand celebrations, akin to Diwali and Holi, to mark the occasion on Wednesday morning.
Jhulasan, known as the ancestral home of Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, is abuzz with excitement. Villagers have been offering prayers for her safe return, maintaining an ‘Akhand Jyot’ (eternal flame) at the Dhola Mata temple, which was lit soon after she embarked on her space journey, PTI reported.
Navin Pandya, a cousin of Williams, said, “A grand procession will be held in her honour, with prayer chanting and fireworks, creating a festive atmosphere like Diwali and Holi. People will carry her photo in the procession.” He added that the procession will begin from a school and end at the temple where the ‘Akhand Jyot’ is kept, with students joining in the prayers.
Vishal Panchal, principal of Jhulasan Primary School, highlighted the significance of Williams’ return for the village. “Sunita Williams is the daughter of our village. She is a pride of our village, India, and the world,” he said. According to him, students of primary and high schools have been praying and chanting ‘Ram dhun’ (hymns dedicated to Lord Ram) for the past 15 days for her safe return.
Panchal further noted that villagers had intensified their prayers and lit the ‘Akhand Jyot’ when Williams’ return mission encountered technical difficulties. The eternal flame will remain lit until she safely reaches Earth, he said.
Kishor Pandya, another cousin of Williams, recalled meeting her twice during her visits to Jhulasan in 2006 and 2013. Meanwhile, Vipul Sharma, a local resident, said preparations for celebrations are in full swing. “Everyone in the village is praying for her safe return. Once she visits the village in the future, we will organise a grand rally and a procession at the temple to welcome her,” he said.
Fluid redistribution is another element that contributes to astronauts' difficulty walking. Fluids and blood flow toward the upper body in space. When standing up, astronauts may experience a sharp drop in blood pressure, which might cause dizziness or fainting when they return to Earth. The reason for this is that the body needs time to regain its capacity to control blood flow in the presence of Earth's gravity.
As the world awaits her and Butch Wilmore's homecoming from nearly nine months aboard the International Space Station, Union Minister Jitendra Singh referred to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams as a "daughter of India" on Tuesday. The minister added that the nation prays for her safe return and is "proud" of her.
"...She (Sunita Williams), being a daughter of India, has made the entire world proud...She has successfully accomplished the task that she was assigned to. While all of us pray for a safe return, we also feel proud of her...A very pleasant coincidence is the fact that today itself, Prime Minister Modi made a statement on Maha Kumbh in the Parliament and incidentally, Sunita also expressed her best wishes for the Kumbh...," he told ANI.
The minister also cited Sunita Williams' Indian roots in Gujarat and remarked how Indian space scientists are making waves internationally.
"There is a very deep connection between her and India and of course Gujarat, the state that she belongs to. This is also an indication of the fact that most of the space agencies outside India, including NASA, are now having Indian boys and girls leading most of their important missions...," the MoS said when asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter to Williams.
NASA and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return—NASA.
The inability to walk on Earth is one of the main obstacles astronauts must overcome. Many astronauts need assistance because they find it difficult to stand or move normally. The effects of microgravity on the human body are the main cause of this disorder. They are transported on stretchers as soon as they arrive on Earth.
John DeWitt, a former senior scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center and director of applied sports science at Rice University in Texas, told Live Science, "A lot of them don't want to be brought out on a stretcher, but they're told they have to be." He has created techniques to enhance the health of astronauts while they are in space.
This is the main reason why, as a precaution, astronauts are usually brought out on a stretcher after landing.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Sunita Williams are expected to touch down on Earth on March 19 at 3:27 a.m. Indian Standard Time. The astronauts' health, particularly their ability to adapt to the earth's gravitational pull, is a concern for their admirers and supporters who have been praying for their safe return.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams And Butch Wilmore started for Earth on Tuesday morning and are expected to reach Earth after a 17-hour journey. The astronaut duo was stranded in space for over 9 months due to an issue in the propulsion system of the Boeing Starliner. They will now take SpaceX's Dragon Capsule back to Earth.
Stay with ABP Live to watch the LIVE coverage of the astronauts' return to Earth.