NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore are finally returning to Earth after spending over nine months in space. Their return, which was originally planned for eight days after launch in June 2024, was delayed due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner rocket. NASA has now confirmed that Williams and Wilmore will land in Florida on Tuesday evening (Florida time). Their return will be broadcast live by NASA, allowing people around the world to witness the event.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore’s space mission started in June 2024 when they were launched into space on the Boeing Starliner. The original plan was for them to stay in space for just over a week. However, their return was delayed after the Starliner rocket faced problems with its propulsion system.
Because of these technical issues, NASA decided to keep the astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) until a safe return could be arranged. After multiple failed attempts to fix the Starliner rocket, NASA turned to SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, to bring the astronauts home.
The decision to involve SpaceX came after US President Donald Trump directed NASA to find a solution. SpaceX agreed to send its Dragon capsule to the ISS to bring back Williams and Wilmore.
NASA has confirmed that the Dragon capsule carrying Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will splash down in the waters near Florida at 5:57 PM EST on Tuesday. The return was initially scheduled for Wednesday, but NASA moved it up a day because of expected poor weather conditions later in the week.
NASA will provide a live stream of the event. The live coverage will begin at 10:45 PM EST on Monday with the hatch closure process. This will give viewers a chance to see the final moments before the astronauts leave the ISS and begin their journey home.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft reached the ISS on Sunday to deliver the replacement crew. The capsule docked with the ISS at 9:34 AM IST (midnight ET). The new crew includes a NASA astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut. Williams and Wilmore are currently handing over responsibilities to the new team before their departure.
In addition to Williams and Wilmore, two other astronauts — Nick Hague (NASA) and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos) — will also be returning to Earth aboard the Dragon capsule.
ALSO READ: Vatican shares first photo of Pope Francis after over a month
ALSO READ: Republicans push to ban Chinese Nationals from studying in US over security fears
The Boeing Starliner’s propulsion issues left Williams and Wilmore stranded in space for months. NASA made several attempts to fix the problem, but the rocket’s propulsion system continued to malfunction. The Starliner was initially seen as an alternative to SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, but the repeated technical failures raised doubts about its reliability.
Sunita Williams’ extended stay in space, however, did not set a record. The current record for the longest stay in space by a US astronaut belongs to Frank Rubio, who spent 371 days on the ISS in 2023. The global record is held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who stayed on the Mir Space Station for 437 days in 1994-95.
Despite the challenges, Williams and Wilmore maintained a positive attitude throughout the mission. They continued to perform research and maintenance work aboard the ISS while waiting for a solution.
Sunita Williams is one of NASA’s most experienced astronauts. She first went to space in 2006 on the Space Shuttle Discovery and later on the Soyuz spacecraft in 2012. She holds the record for the most spacewalks by a female astronaut, with a total of seven spacewalks.
Williams is also known for running a full marathon in space during the Boston Marathon in 2007. She used a treadmill on the ISS to complete the race while being connected to safety harnesses to simulate gravity.
Born in Euclid, Ohio, Sunita Williams is of Indian and Slovenian descent. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served as a naval aviator before becoming an astronaut. Williams’ contributions to space exploration have made her a role model for young scientists and aspiring astronauts worldwide.
NASA plans to continue using the SpaceX Dragon capsule for future missions due to its reliability and successful track record. However, NASA has not abandoned the Boeing Starliner project and will work with Boeing to fix the propulsion issues.
The success of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore’s return mission will strengthen NASA’s partnership with SpaceX and boost confidence in future space travel missions. The agency remains committed to expanding human presence in space and preparing for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Sunita Williams’ long mission is coming to an end, but her achievements in space will continue to inspire future generations. The Dragon capsule’s return will mark the end of one of the longest and most challenging missions for NASA.
The successful return will demonstrate the resilience of human space exploration and the ability of modern technology to overcome setbacks. As Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore prepare for their final descent to Earth, the world will be watching their triumphant return.
Copyright © © 2022 Copyright. All Rights Reserved with Arth Parkash