US Astronauts Conclude Their Extended Space Mission

Synopsis

On March 19, 2024, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore concluded their extended mission aboard the International Space Station, returning safely to Earth via a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Their stay was prolonged due to a spacecraft malfunction, but they are now set for recovery and medical assessments.

Key Takeaways

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned after 287 days in space.
Their return was delayed due to a spacecraft malfunction.
NASA's Johnson Space Center will conduct medical evaluations.
Long space missions can lead to physiological changes.
This mission marked Williams's third trip to the ISS.

Washington, March 19 (NationPress) Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore successfully returned to Earth on Tuesday evening, marking the end of an unexpectedly prolonged stay aboard the International Space Station.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which was transporting them alongside two other astronauts—Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—safely splashed down in waters off the coast of Florida just before 6 p.m., as announced by NASA.

After splashdown, the capsule was retrieved by the recovery ship, with Hague being the first to exit the spacecraft nearly 50 minutes later. Williams followed, and all three astronauts emerged from the capsule smiling and waving.

Initially, Williams and Wilmore departed for the space station on June 6, 2024, with plans for an eight-day mission and a return via the same spacecraft, Boeing’s Starliner. However, a malfunction delayed their return until this moment, now aboard a spacecraft from Elon Musk's SpaceX.

“Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA teams for another safe astronaut return!” Musk celebrated on X, sharing a video of the splashdown from SpaceX. “Thanks to @POTUS for prioritizing this mission!”

This marked Williams's third mission to the space station. Alongside Wilmore, she spent a total of 287 days in orbit.

The International Space Station orbits the Earth at an altitude of 254 miles (406.4 km) and travels at a speed of 4.76 miles/s. Constructed by space agencies from the US, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Europe, it was launched on November 20, 1998.

Upon landing, they will be taken to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for medical evaluations of their vital organs as well as assessments of both short-term and long-term effects. Experts anticipate that they may experience a range of effects due to their extended stay in space.

Afterward, they will enter a 45-day recovery period. “Typically, most crew members’ physiological systems recover within this time frame,” stated the space agency in a press release on Monday.

The spacecraft undocked from the space station at 1:00 am Tuesday, and the flight duration was 17 hours.

Long-duration space stays can lead to body changes such as increased height and decreased muscle strength, along with potential vision alterations, according to reports.

Born in Ohio to parents of Indian and Slovenian descent, Williams, who will celebrate her 60th birthday later this year, holds a bachelor's degree in physical science from the US Naval Academy and a Master's in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology, as per the NASA website.

During her time in the Navy, Williams accumulated over 3,000 flight hours across more than 30 different aircraft, predominantly helicopters. She was selected for the US Naval Test Pilot School and became an astronaut in 1998, participating in two extensive expeditions to the station.

In 2006, she launched on the STS-116 mission and returned aboard STS-117 in 2007. In 2012, she also flew a Russian Soyuz for another stay at the station.