Butch Wilmore (L) and Sunita Williams react after he and Suni Williams and two other astronauts splashed down in a Crew Dragon space capsule following their return to earth from the International Space Station off the coast of Florida, U.S March 18, 2025.
Credit: Reuters Photo
The return of the two NASA astronauts – Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams – who were stuck onboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months is a cause for celebration.
Their splashdown off the Florida coast marks the end of an extended phase of uncertainty that tested, and validated, capabilities of the premier space agency in handling contingencies during space missions.
The Boeing Starliner took off on its first crewed flight with the astronauts in June 2024 on what was conceived as an eight-day mission. Technical issues in the capsule and the resultant safety concerns that forced the pair to shift to the ISS for an extended period reveal the risks space missions are prone to.
Space endeavours have seen deaths, injuries in accidents, and other unexpected events. Preventive, remedial actions have also helped avert such incidents. Wilmore and Williams received particular attention also because repeated attempts to bring them back failed to make headway.
The cheeriness around their return – in a SpaceX Dragon capsule – is palpable. It also comes with a sense of relief because the astronauts had generated global interest on multiple counts: the causes of the snag were widely discussed; there were also concerns about the astronauts’ well-being though communication channels were not disrupted.
India had a special interest in the situation as Williams is of Indian origin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the return of Wilmore and Williams, calling their long stay “a test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit.” He has also invited Williams to visit India.
Williams is now the American astronaut with the second-longest combined time in space. She has spent 608 days over three visits to the space station. The astronauts have returned safely but their full recovery may take a long time, perhaps months. They have been shifted for various tests to assess the impact of their long stay in space. Their examination can also lead to better understanding of conditions in the station and help address similar situations that may arise in the future.
A fresh international crew will now continue the standard six-month mission in the ISS, which is a symbol of international cooperation. While the mission ended with happy waves and thumbs-up signs on touchdown, it was no surprise that some earthly politics was also at play, in the form of claims and accusations regarding reasons that led to the stranding of the astronauts and the delay in their return to earth.