After 9 Months in Space, Sunita Williams Prepares for Earth Return

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for nearly nine months, are set to return to Earth soon. To facilitate their return, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying four astronauts was launched into space. The mission, part of NASA-SpaceX's "Crew-10" initiative, lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 4:33 AM IST.

The mission was initially scheduled for the 12th but was postponed at the last moment due to an issue with the rocket's ground system. After resolving the problem, the launch was successfully carried out. The Dragon capsule aboard the Falcon 9 is carrying astronauts Anne McClain, Nicole Aunapu Mann, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS today, after which the newly arrived astronauts will assume their responsibilities, allowing Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to begin their return journey on the 19th.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore originally traveled to the ISS aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which was launched on June 5, 2024. They were expected to return within a week, but technical issues with the Starliner prevented its safe return. Despite multiple attempts to bring them back, the mission faced repeated setbacks. Now, after nine months, another Starliner spacecraft carrying four astronauts is on its way to the ISS, finally paving the way for Williams and Wilmore's return to Earth.