Pic Credit: NASA
NASA's Crew-9 mission astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore finally landed on Earth safely. The duo embarked on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5, 2024 in Boeing Starliner spacecraft. It was planned for only eight days but took over nine months due to technical issues.
Read all details of this trending news and get an insight into the accomplishments of Sunita Williams. Know all facts related to the Crew-9 space mission along with the timeline.
Important Facts About NASA's Crew-9 Mission
- Sunita Williams was the Commander of the ISS for the Crew-9 Mission.
- Williams was accompanied by Butch Wilmore in this mission.
- They stayed in space for 286 days.
- They orbited Earth 4,576 times and travelled 121 million miles (195 million km).
- Williams and Wilmore conducted 900 hours of Scientific Research.
- They performed 150 scientific experiments.
- Sunita Williams created a record of 62 hours and nine minutes of spacewalks.
- SpaceX Dragon Freedom Spacecraft took back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore accompanied by Nick Hague and Aleksandr Grebyonkin to Earth.
- Astronauts embarked on a 17-hour journey back to Earth in the Dragon Freedom capsule.
- Sunita Williams became the American astronaut with second-longest combined time in space (608 days), first being Peggy Whitson (675 days).
Rescue Mission Back To Earth
For bringing Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, NASA decided to utilise the next scheduled flight, Elon Musk's SpaceX capsule.
Instead of four astronauts, only two astronauts, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Grebyonkin, were sent to ISS in late September with two spare seats. They were on a six-month mission, which means Williams and Wilmore had to extend their stay.
All four astronauts successfully returned from the ISS in a SpaceX's Dragon Freedom spacecraft which splashed down off the Florida coast at around 5:57 pm Eastern Time (ET) on March 18, 2025. The SpaceX capsule parachuted over the Gulf of Mexico in the Panhandle region, off the coast of Florida's Tallahassee. The trending news has become viral on social media.
Crew Exchange
Before Williams and Wilmore returned to Earth, NASA's Crew-10 mission successfully docked with the ISS for smooth crew exchange. The mission includes Flight Engineers Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers from NASA, Krill Peskov of Roscosmos and Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).
Timeline Of NASA's Crew-9 Mission
Date | Details |
June 5, 2024 | Boeing Starliner Spacecraft launched taking Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to ISS |
June 6, 2024 | Reached ISS |
July 2024 | Technical issues detected due to helium leak in the propulsion system & thruster malfunctions |
August 2024 | NASA extended the Mission |
Early September 2024 | The faulty Boeing Starliner spacecraft reached Earth empty, landed in the desert of New Mexico |
Late September 2024 | Nick Hague and Aleksandr Grebyonkin reached ISS in SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule as a part of a six-month mission |
March 17, 2025 | Crew-10 reached ISS to take over operations |
March 18, 2025 | Williams and Wilmore, along with Hague and Grebyonkin landed on Earth in SpaceX's Dragon Freedom spacecraft which splashed down off the Florida coast |
Accomplishments During This Space Mission
Sunita Williams became the American astronaut with second-longest combined time in space (608 days combined days of her three visits to the ISS). Peggy Whitson, former chief of NASA's astronaut office, spent 675 days over four space missions.
Service and Maintenance Of ISS
One of the major goals of the the space mission was the servicing and maintenance of the Internation Space Station. Sunita Williams performed repairs, cleaned it and replaced outdated hardware. This was required to enure the ISS remain operational.
Sunita Williams 62 hours Spacewalks
During the mission, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams created a record of 62 hours and nine minutes of spacewalks. She took nine trips outside the ISS to conduct maintenance activities and scientific experiments. Her name is etched in the history of space exploration.
900 hours of Scientific Research
Williams and Wilmore conducted 900 hours of research which included 150 experiments, Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate told in a press conference.
The duo studied the impact of microgravity on biological systems.
Another noteworthy experiments is the study on how fluid systems respond to microgravity conditions in space.
They also tested the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) which can ensure to maintain the health of astronauts in space.The device combines resistance exercises, rowing and cycling.
They also contributed to create innovative technologies like the fuel cells and water recovery. To study how plants would respond to conditions in space, they also grew red romaine lettuce abroad the ISS.
Another crucial research pursued was on BioNutrients to study how useful bacteria can be utilised to create healthy nutrients for astronauts. The BioNutrients project could help in generation of vitamins and minerals rich diet for astronauts embarking on space journeys.
Bhagavad Gita in Space
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams carries a copy of Bhagavad Gita, Ganesha idol and samosas with her during her space missions. The trending space news has become viral on all social media platforms as an old video of Williams is doing rounds.
Nutrition and Fitness
To minimise the health damage, both astronauts used to workout for two hours everyday in space. They took pre-packaged meals such as pasta, stews and soups which were vacuum sealed. As a source of protein they ate tuna, roasted chicken and shrimp. They drank recycled water purified from urine and sweat.
Health Hazards
Sunita Williams weak body and white hair are the result of their prolonged stay in space. Williams and Wilmore faced health hazards due to exposure to radiation, microgravity and pressure shifts on body.
Astronauts lose around one percent bone density due to microgravity every month, according to NASA.
They will go through a 45-day rehabilitation program at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Their health would be monitored and bone loss, neurological impacts, muscle atrophy, vision problems and other health issues will be taken care of.
