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NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Return to Earth After 9-Month Space Mission.

Science and Technology | Dated: 20 Mar 2025

On March 19, 2025, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Lyn Williams and American astronaut Barry Butch E. Wilmore from NASA successfully returned to Earth after spending 9 months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - As part of NASA's Crew-9 rotation mission, the 4-person crew, which also included American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, concluded their mission with a safe splashdown off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, USA.
  • - Their return was facilitated by the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, following the arrival of Crew-10, launched on March 14, 2025, to relieve Crew-9.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) Sunita Williams, a distinguished NASA astronaut and retired USA Navy Captain, was selected by NASA in 1998. She has completed three space missions—Expeditions 14/15, 32/33, and 71/72—accumulating a total of 608 days in space. During Expedition 14, she set a record for female spacewalks, totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes.
  • (ii) Williams ranks second for the most days spent in space by a U.S. astronaut, with 608 days and 20 minutes, after Peggy Whitson’s 675 days.
  • (iii) Barry E. Wilmore, also a retired USA Navy Captain, joined NASA in 2000 and has completed three spaceflights, totaling 464 days in space. He served as Flight Engineer during Expedition 41 and Commander of Expedition 42, logging 167 days aboard the ISS, with 31 hours and 60 minutes of spacewalks.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Which astronaut recently returned to Earth after a 9-month space mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS)?

Correct Answer: Sunita Williams

🚀 Quick Recap: