Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams has safely returned to Earth after a long wait from the International Space Station (ISS). She, along with astronauts Butch Wilmore, NASA commander Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, landed in the ocean near the Florida coast at 3:27 AM (IST) on Wednesday. The Crew-9 Dragon Freedom capsule, launched by NASA and SpaceX, took 17 hours to travel back after departing from the ISS on Tuesday at 10:35 AM (IST).

The capsule, traveling at 17,000 miles per hour, gradually reduced its speed before deploying parachutes at 116 mph. With the support of four parachutes, it safely landed in the ocean. NASA personnel arrived quickly, using boats to transport the capsule onto a recovery ship and later shifting it to Johnson Space Center in Houston for medical examinations. Having spent 286 days in zero gravity, the astronauts will now undergo a rehabilitation process to adjust back to Earth's gravity. Originally, Sunita and Wilmore were scheduled for an 8-day mission from June 5, 2024, but due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, they had to extend their stay in space.

On Tuesday at 8:15 AM (IST), the Crew Dragon’s hatch was closed, and at 10:15 AM, it detached from the ISS. After a 17-hour journey, multiple rocket burns were performed to adjust its trajectory. At 2:51 AM on Wednesday, the spacecraft began its descent, re-entering Earth's atmosphere at 3:10 AM. A brief radio silence caused tension, but at 3:21 AM, communication was restored. The capsule deployed its parachutes at 18,000 feet, further slowing down at 6,500 feet, before safely landing in the ocean at 3:28 AM near Tallahassee, Florida. Recovery teams immediately reached the capsule, verifying safety before extracting the astronauts. Sunita Williams, visibly joyful, waved cheerfully upon exiting.