Sunita William Returns Back: Watch Big Updates Of The Hour Only On ABP News

NASA astronaut and India's pride, Sunita Williams, has finally returned to Earth after being stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months. Along with her, fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore also landed safely. Their capsule made a successful splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean near Florida at 3:30 AM IST on March 19. Williams and Wilmore originally left for the ISS on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing's new Starliner crew capsule. Their mission was initially planned for just a week, but due to technical malfunctions in the spacecraft, they were stuck in space for nine months. This led to speculation about whether they would ever return. However, NASA and SpaceX successfully executed a rescue mission, launching the Crew-10 mission on March 13 via a Falcon-9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This mission replaced the Crew-9 team at the ISS and brought back Williams and Wilmore aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which landed safely in the ocean near Tallahassee. Following the landing, SpaceX's recovery team reached the capsule, assisting the astronauts out. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore waved and smiled at the cameras, signaling their safe return. They were immediately taken for medical evaluations, as spending a prolonged period in microgravity can weaken muscles and bones. Doctors will assess their blood pressure, heart rate, vision, and overall physical and mental health before they are cleared for public interaction. Sunita Williams' safe return has been celebrated in both India and the U.S.. India’s Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, called it a moment of pride and relief for the world. Special prayers were held in 21 temples across the U.S. for Williams, while churches prayed for Wilmore's safe return. This successful mission marks another milestone in NASA and SpaceX’s space exploration efforts.