Two NASA Astronauts Return to Earth After 9 Months in Space
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, after spending a long 9 months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), have finally returned to Earth.
The two prominent American astronauts traveled to the ISS on June 6 of the previous year for a week-long mission. However, due to a malfunction in the Boeing capsule, ‘Starliner,’ and safety concerns, they were unable to return to Earth on time.
According to The Indian Express, on Tuesday, March 18, at 9:05 AM Bangladesh time, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft was locked, and the crew began wearing their flight suits and conducted safety checks. After waiting for some time, at 11:05 AM, the spacecraft detached from the International Space Station.
As part of the ‘NASA Crew-9 Mission,’ after a 17-hour return journey, the spacecraft carrying the crew entered Earth’s atmosphere. At 3:57 AM on Wednesday, March 19, their capsule landed in the sea about 50 miles off the coast of Florida, with the help of special parachutes.
Butch and Sunita are both experienced NASA astronauts and retired US Navy pilots. Commander of the Crew-9 Mission and NASA astronaut, Nick Hague, commented on the return journey, saying, “What an incredible journey!”
Butch and Sunita had initially gone to the International Space Station for an 8-day mission in June. However, due to a spacecraft malfunction, their return to Earth was delayed. This led to political debates about their prolonged stay in space. Former President Donald Trump, his advisors, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed without evidence that President Joe Biden had left Butch and Sunita in space for political reasons.
Now, Butch and Sunita will be transported by a NASA aircraft to the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, they will undergo routine health checks for several days before being allowed to return home to reunite with their families, pending approval from NASA’s flight surgeon.
NASA announced the return date for the astronauts last Monday. To facilitate their return, NASA and SpaceX conducted the ‘Crew-9 Mission.
