Sunitha Williams and Butch Wilmore have finally returned to Earth after staying in space for nine months instead of the planned eight days. Their SpaceX Dragon landed safely in the sea near Florida. Both smiled and waved at everyone when they came out of their spacecraft. While their capsule was floating in the water waiting to be picked up, some dolphins swam around it, which was quite interesting to see.

The astronauts left Earth in June 2024 to test Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The plan was for them to stay only eight days. However, when the Starliner had some problems, NASA decided to keep them at the International Space Station and send the empty Starliner back to Earth.

“The crew is doing great,” said Steve Stich from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. He mentioned that the astronauts would spend some time on the rescue ship before travelling to Houston.

Stich thanked his team for adjusting to the situation and also praised SpaceX for helping quickly when NASA needed them. The astronauts will need to be checked by doctors before they can meet their families, which usually happens after about one day. They will also talk about their space experience and then get some rest.
After spending 286 days in space, astronauts face many challenges when they return to Earth. Their muscles become weak, making it hard to walk, and their bones lose strength, increasing the risk of fractures. They also feel dizzy and struggle with balance because their body gets used to weightlessness. Blood pressure issues can cause fainting, and vision problems may occur due to fluid shifts in the body. Mentally, they take time to adjust to normal life, sleep patterns get disturbed, and they may feel emotional changes. Their immune system also weakens, and they are exposed to more radiation in space. To recover, they go through special medical care, exercise, and therapy to regain strength and health.

Sunita Williams has spent a total of 606 days and 20 minutes in space across three different missions.