Highlights: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore spent 286 days in space, orbiting Earth 4,576 times
Sunita Williams Highlights: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, along with astronaut Butch Wilmore, has returned to Earth after spending more than nine months at the International Space Station (ISS).
Sunita Williams Highlights: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after spending over nine months in space due to unexpected delays. Their spacecraft, SpaceX’s Dragon, successfully splashed down off the Florida coast, marking the end of a mission that captured global attention. They left the International Space Station earlier in the morning after exchanging final farewells and hugs with remaining crew members....Read More
Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule named Freedom is gearing to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. Its heat shield must endure scorching temperatures of around 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 degrees Celsius) before the capsule can deploy its parachutes and splash down off the coast of Florida, near Tallahassee, at 5.57 pm ET on Tuesday (3:27 am IST, Wednesday).
Sunita Williams return | Key points
-Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore spent 286 days on the International Space Station, where they conducted over 4500 orbits and travelled more than 121 million statute miles
-The crew will undergo NASA's 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program is designed to help astronauts recover from the physical effects of spaceflight.
-Their return was scheduled to begin initially on Wednesday night, but NASA postponed the journey as unfavourable weather are expected to prevail later in the week.
-‘Butch and Suni’ travelled to the ISS in June last year for a scheduled eight-day mission. They were forced to stay as the Boeing Starliner capsule developed issues with its propulsion system.
-The duo was the first crew to fly Boeing's Starliner in a test flight. The faulty capsule returned to Earth last September.
-US President Donald Trump and his close adviser Elon Musk - SpaceX's CEO - have sought to blame, without evidence, former President Joe Biden for the astronauts' plight.
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Who will take over duties of returning crew?
Sunita Williams return LIVE: The Crew-10 crew, scheduled to stay on the station for roughly six months, includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. They will join three other astronauts to ensure sustained operations at the ISS.
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Where to watch?
Sunita Williams return LIVE: NASA is live-streaming the return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. The coverage started at 8:15 on Tuesday.
Watch the live streaming here
Sunita Williams return LIVE: What happens after landing?
Sunita Williams return LIVE: After a successful landing, the crew will be flown to NASA's Johnson Space Center for a few days of routine post-mission medical checks. Due to challenging survival conditions in space, astronauts face bone and muscle deterioration, radiation exposure, and vision impairment, in addition to the psychological challenges of loneliness.
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Departing crew poses for final photograph before undocking
Sunita Williams return LIVE: When will the crew return?
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, with astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are poised to undock from the ISS at 1:05 am ET (10:35 am IST) and begin a 17-hour trip back to Earth.
The crew is expected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico (renamed as Gulf of America by the Trump administration) at 5:57 pm ET on Tuesday (3:27 am IST, Wednesday). The exact location of the landing will depend on local weather conditions.
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Why were Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore stuck at ISS?
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore reached the International Space Station for a scheduled eight-day mission. They were forced to stay as the Boeing Starliner capsule developed issues with its propulsion system.
Sunita Williams return LIVE: Crew completing suit-up activities, says NASA
Sunita Williams return LIVE: NASA began a live-telecast of the mission as the four-member crew is set to undock from the ISS. The space agency said the crew is performing final suit-up acitivites before undocking from the space station.
