Astronaut Sunita Williams and Buch Wilmore have returned home after a migration at the International Space Station (ISS) for more than nine months. NASA’s crew returned to SpaceX’s dragon spacecraft and fell down from the coast of Florida at 3:27 pm (IST). SpaceX CEO Elon Musk congratulated SpaceX and NASA teams for “another safe astronaut return”. Musk also thanked his friend and US President Donald Trump for prioritizing the mission.
“Congratulations to @Spacex and @nasa teams for another safe astronaut return! Thank you @Potus for prioritizing this mission!”
Congratulations to @Spacex And @Nasa Teams to withdraw another safe astronaut!
Thank you to @Potus To prioritize this mission!
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2025
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Buch Wilmore flew into space on 5 June last year in the Boeing Crew Flight Test of NASA. Both astronauts moved on an eight-day mission for ISS, but on 6 June, Starlineer approached the Space Station, NASA and Boeing identified Helium leaks and identified experienced issues with spacecraft reaction control thrusters. Starlineer was sent back to Earth without a crew.
Later, in August, it was decided to re -hand over two astronauts for SpaceX’s crew -9 mission. This meant, reducing Crew -9 by four to two and NASA’s astronaut Zenna Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, already declared as Crumets, to make a place for Ms. Williams and Sri Wilmore.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Roscosmos Cosmonot Alexandra Gorbunov flew to the space station as commander and mission specialist respectively as part of the two-curre-member flight.
Today, after more than nine months, the crew -9 team returned to Earth.
After a 17 -hour long journey, the spacecraft deployed its parachute before a splashdown at the sea from the coast of Florida.
Splashdown was confirmed! #Crew 9 Now he’s back to earth @Spacex Dragon spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/g5tvyqfbau
– NASA (@nasa) March 18, 2025
A NASA team opened the hatch and helped astronauts on dynamics AIDS.
Ms. Williams was seen out of the capsule as well as waving and shining thumb signs.
When an X (East Twitter) was asked by the user whether astronauts will now get a special meal, NASA said that Crew -9 will go completely for medical checks and fresh food will be served soon.
“Food on the ship is generally not very extraordinary. They are still adjusted for gravity, too. Fresh food is coming soon!”
“First offered to return astronauts”: Elon Musk
In an interview with Fox News, Musk claimed that SpaceX had introduced former President Joe Biden’s administration to bring back two astronauts, but it was “rejected for political reasons.”
“We certainly offered to return the astronauts before. There is no question about this. Astronauts should have been there only for eight days and they are there for about 10 months. Obligold, it does not understand any.
,@elonmusk The Biden administration reveals that the trapped astronauts soon rejected their proposal to get the house: “It was rejected for political reasons.” , pic.twitter.com/hn4ppk3yn11
– Trump War Room (@Trumpwarroom) March 19, 2025
Earlier in January, billionaire Elon Musk said that President Trump asked him to facilitate the return of two Boeing Starlineer astronauts, who have been at the space station as soon as possible since June 2024.
The CEO of SpaceX stated that it was “terrible” that the biden administration “left them there for a long time”.
Musk said in a post on X, “@Potus has asked @Spacex to bring 2 astronauts stranded at @Space_station as soon as possible. We will do so.”
@Potus Has asked @Spacex 2 astronauts stranded to bring home @space Station As soon as possible. We will do this.
It is terrible that the Biden administration left him for so long.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 28 January, 2025
President Trump confirmed in a post on his social media platform, Truthshal. He said that he has asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to “two brave astronauts” to go “almost in space by the Biden administration.” He said that the mission will be “soon”.