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Last Updated:March 19, 2025, 03:36 IST
Sunita Williams Return Live Updates: The astronaut duo’s eight-day mission to the ISS last June became a months-long ordeal when the Boeing Starliner capsule, due to propulsion issues, was found unfit for their return to Earth.
Sunita Williams returns to Earth (Photo: X/NASA)
Nasa Astronaut Sunita Williams Return Live Updates: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, two veteran NASA astronauts who have been stuck on the Space Station for nine months, returned to Earth on a long-awaited flight home to cap an unusual mission.
After a replacement crew arrived on the space station Saturday night, Wilmore, Williams, and two other astronauts undocked from the ISS at 1:05 am ET (0505 GMT) Tuesday to begin a 17-hour trip back to Earth.
Tune in for a splashdown!@NASA_Astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are returning to Earth in their @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. #Crew9 splashdown is targeted for 5:57pm ET (2157 UTC). https://t.co/Yuat1FqZxw
— NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025
Stay tuned with News18.com for the latest updates:
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Safety Checks Of Spacecraft Underway
The authorities are conducting the safety checks of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft which splashed down off the Florida coast at 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Who All Returned Aboard Dragon?
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Willmore, Nick Hague, and Russian Cosmonaut were aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft which splashed down offthe Florida coast on Wednesday (IST).
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: NASA Astronaut Completes Homecoming
Sunita Williams returned to Earth after nine months as the Dragon splashed down off the Florida coast at 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: First Pictures Out Of Dragon Arriving On Earth
NASA aired the first pictures of SpaceX Dragon spacecraft arriving on the Earth, ferrying Sunita Williams and other astronauts.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Signal Lost
The signal between the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and SpaceX Mission Control has now lost as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere. The signal will be regained in seven minutes, as per NASA.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Spacecraft Enters Earth Atmosphere, Communication Blackout Next
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has entered the atmosphere of Earth. The loss of signal will be followed next due to the build-up of plasma. However, SpaceX will regain the signal as the Dragon clears re-entry. Freedom is flying autonomously.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: SpaceX Dragon To Re-Enter Earth Atmosphere Shortly
SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is all set to enter the Earth’s atmosphere shortly. It is currently autonomously navigating above Earth, aligning itself for a splashdown off the coast of Florida at 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Nose Cone Closed, NASA Confirms
The deorbit burn was completed successfully. SpaceX has now closed the nose cone which has remained open since the Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS. Once closed, the Dragon will begin re-entry into the atmosphere of the Earth.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Splashdown To Go As Scheduled As Weather Conditions Normal
According to NASA, the weather conditions are favourable at the moment, and the splashdown site in the Gulf of America near Florida has been given a go-ahead for the landing.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Dragon To Enter Earth's Atmosphere Shortly
SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to enter the atmosphere of the Earth shortly as the countdown for splashdown is underway. The landing is set for 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Dragon's Trunk Jettisoned
SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has been jettisoned successfully and the deorbit burn will begin soon, Elon Musk’s SpaceX informed.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Flying Autonomously Now
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is operating autonomously, isolating the thermal control system from the radiator to maintain a cool internal temperature during its intense reentry. It is now preparing for trunk separation.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Less Than An Hour To Go For Splashdown
Less than an hour remains now for the splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the returning astronauts. The touchdown is scheduled for 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Leak Checks Of Spacesuits Performed
The returning astronauts have completed the leak checks on their spacesuits as they prepare to re-enter the atmosphere of the Earth after several months.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: NASA Begins Its Splashdown Coverage As Countdown Begins For Astronaut's Return
NASA began its splashdown coverage at 2.15 am as the countdown began for the return of the astronauts on Wednesday IST.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: NASA Live Coverage To Resume At 2.15 AM
NASA said that it would begin its live coverage of the splashdown and the preceding events at 2.15 am. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft would perform a de-orbital burn at 2.41 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: SpaceX Dragon Jettisons Excess Fuel Ahead Of Reentry To Earth Atmosphere
The SpaceX crew Dragon has executed a burn to discard excess propellant in preparation for its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: SpaceX Dragon Readies Itself To Re-enter Earth Atmosphere
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is readying itself to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The Dragon, carrying four astronauts, would splashdown off the Florida coast at 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: How Many Days Has NASA Astronaut Lived In Space?
Indian-origin US astroanut Sunita Williams has spent a total of 609 days in total in space. She undertook 3 missions to spend these days in the space.
Russia’s Oleg Kononenko spent 1,110 days in a total of 5 missions.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: What Did Sunita Williams Do In Space?
During their unexpected extended stay at the Space Station, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore made significant contributions to scientific research as they carried out more than 150 experiments, enhancing the human understanding of several fields.
Williams conducted two key spacewalks in January to fix a telescope outside the ISS.
They engaged themselves in Space Station operations as they swiftly adapted to life in zero gravity.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Weather Clear For Splashdown
The weather off the Florida coast where SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to splashdown as part of its water landing is clear for now, according to the reports. NASA and SpaceX are constantly monitoring the weather situation in the area.
The spacecraft is set to land at 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Ex-ISRO Chief Says PM Modi Inquired About Sunita's Safe Return
Former ISRO chief S Somanath lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s letter to Sunita Williams and said that he used to enquire about her safe return with him, which showed “genuine concerns for the wellbeing of an India origin daughter”.
“Sunita, we all wait for sharing your experience when you are back,” he posted on X.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: What Did PM Modi Write To Sunita Williams?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday wrote to Sunita Williams ahead of her return to Earth and wished her a safe return and good health.
He also invited her to India and said that “it will be a pleasure for India to host one of its most illustrious daughters”.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: What's Next After Their Return?
As the returning astronauts aboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft return to Earth at around 3.27 am on Wednesday, the recovery vessel will then retrieve them and they will be transited to Houston where they will finish a 45-day rehabilitation programme.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Astronauts To Cover 17-Hour Journey Back To Earth
Sunita Williams and other accompanying astronauts will cover a 17-hour journey from the Space Station back to Earth. They departed from the ISS at 1:05 am EDT on Tuesday and are set to arrive at 4:45 pm EDT on Tuesday (3.27 am IST on Wednesday).
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Who Is Accompanying Sunita Williams?
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are accompanied by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Hague and Borbunov had arrived at the Space Station on the SpaceX Dragon capsule.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Prayers Held At Dola Temple For Sunita Williams' Safe Return
People in Jhulasan, the native village of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, offered prayers at the Dola Mata temple for her safe return to Earth.
She is scheduled to land on Earth at 3.27 am on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Which Is The Spacecraft Aboard Which Astronauts Are Returning?
The astronauts are on their way back to Earth from the Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft is scheduled to land at around 3.27 am IST on Wednesday.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: At What Time Does NASA Go Live?
NASA’s live coverage of the landing would begin at 2.15 am IST on Wednesday on NASA+, X, and YouTube.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: What Did Nick Hague Say Before Departing For Earth?
Astronaut Nick Hague took to X and said that it’s been a “privilege” to call the Space Station home and play his part in its 25-year legacy of being involved in research for humanity.
“My spaceflight career, like most, is full of the unexpected,” he wrote.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Crew9 Will Be Difficult To Spot In Daytime As It Enters Earth Atmosphere, Says NASA
Crew9 will be difficult to spot in the daytime as the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft reenters the atmosphere of the Earth at 5:57 pm EDT, NASA said.
“#Crew9 will be difficult to spot in the daytime as it reenters Earth’s atmosphere, but if you want to keep an eye out for @SpaceX’s Dragon as it heads home today, we have the map for you,” it posted on X.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: When And Where To Watch Sunita Williams' Touchdown?
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore are all set to return to Earth in the early hours of Wednesday (according to Indian time). The touchdown of the spacecraft will be live-streamed on CNN-News18 channel, News18.com and the official X handle of NASA.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Astronauts Expected To Land On Earth At 3.27 AM IST
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are expected to splash off the Florida coast at 5:57 pm EDT (3.27 AM IST on March 19). They departed from the Space Station (ISS) at 10:35 am IST on March 18.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Who Are NASA Astronauts Who Were Stuck In Space For 9 Months?
The two test pilots came to NASA via the Navy. Wilmore, 62, played high school and college football in his home state of Tennessee before joining the Navy. Williams, 59, grew up in Needham, Massachusetts, a competitive swimmer and distance runner.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Nine-Month Space Mission's Timeline
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams reached the Space Station in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner for what was meant to be an eight-day test mission. However, technical issues with the spacecraft extended their stay indefinitely. In August, NASA determined that the duo would return aboard a SpaceX capsule instead, turning their brief trip into an unexpected nine-month mission.
Need Of The Hour Is To Rise To The Challenge: ISRO Chief V Narayanan
‘These setbacks happen in high technology missions, the need of the hour is to rise to the challenge and the engineers and scientists have been working around the clock to bring the astronauts back’, said ISRO chief V Narayanan
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Why Did The Stuck Astronauts Switch Space Taxis?
Astronauts almost always fly back in the same spacecraft they launched in. Wilmore and Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner and will return in SpaceX’s Dragon.
Their first flights were aboard NASA’s space shuttle, followed by Russia’s Soyuz capsule. Both the Starliner and Dragon are completely autonomous but capable of manual command if necessary.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: What Happens After NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Land On Earth?
Williams and Wilmore will first be flown to their crew quarters at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for several days of health checks, per routine for astronaut returns, before flight surgeons approve they can go home to their families.
This is especially because living in space for months can affect the human body in multiple ways, from muscle atrophy to possible vision impairment.
Prayers On Lips, Celebrations On Ground: Sunita Williams' Ancestral Gujarat Village Plans 'Diwali'
With prayers on their lips, residents of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ ancestral village in Gujarat are waiting for her safe return to Earth with bated breath and planned Diwali-like festivities to mark the occasion on Wednesday morning.
Williams is scheduled to return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the Space Station.
She has been in the thoughts and prayers of the villagers, eagerly awaiting her safe return.
Sunita Williams Return LIVE Updates: Sunita Williams Is 'Daughter of India', Says Jitendra Singh
Union Minister Jitendra Singh has called NASA astronaut Sunita Williams a “daughter of India”, as the world awaits her return along with Butch Wilmore, both of whom have spent nearly nine months on the Space Station.
Singh said the country is “proud” of her and praying for her safe return.
“…She (Sunita Williams), being a daughter of India, has made the entire world proud…She has successfully accomplished the task that she was assigned to. While all of us pray for a safe return, we also feel proud of her…A very pleasant coincidence is the fact that today itself, Prime Minister Modi made a statement on Maha Kumbh in the Parliament and incidentally, Sunita also expressed her best wishes for the Kumbh…,” Singh told ANI.
