NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally coming back to Earth after spending over nine months on the International Space Station (ISS). They were supposed to return after only eight days, but a problem with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft caused them to stay longer. Along with them, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also be returning to Earth.
How to watch Sunita Williams return to Earth?
The astronauts will return on the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, with a splashdown planned for 5:57 PM EST on Tuesday in Florida (3:27 AM IST on Wednesday). NASA had originally planned their return for Wednesday but moved it up because of bad weather expected later in the week. Space enthusiasts can watch live coverage from NASA, starting at 10:45 PM EST on Monday (8:15 AM IST on Tuesday), beginning with preparations to close the hatch.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on Sunday, bringing a new crew, which includes an astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut. Before leaving, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are overseeing the handover to ensure a smooth transition. After several failed attempts by Boeing’s Starliner to bring the astronauts back, US President Donald Trump assigned the mission to SpaceX, led by Elon Musk.
Is it the longest stay in space?
No, even though Williams and Wilmore stayed longer than planned, they did not break the US record for the longest space mission. That record was set by Frank Rubio in 2023, with 371 days aboard the ISS. The world record is still held by Russia’s Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days on the Mir Space Station in 1994-95.
Who is Sunita Williams?
Sunita Williams (born September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, U.S.) is an American astronaut known for setting records during her three missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
She is a retired U.S. Navy officer and one of the most experienced spacewalkers, having completed nine spacewalks (the second most for a woman) with a total of 62 hours and 6 minutes. She holds the current record for the most time spent on spacewalks by a woman and ranks fourth overall.
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