Highlights: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore spent 286 days in space, orbiting Earth 4,576 times

Updates to this live blog have ended. Thanks for tuning in.

Sunita Williams live updates: SpaceX owner Elon Musk wrote on X, “Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA teams for another safe astronaut return! Thank you to @POTUS for prioritizing this mission!”

Sunita Williams live updates: The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore has been successfully retrieved after its splashdown off the coast of Florida. Following the safe landing, both astronauts were carefully taken out of the capsule by recovery teams.

Williams and Wilmore, who spent several months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), will now be transported to Houston, where they will begin a 45-day rehabilitation programme. The programme aims to help them readjust to Earth’s gravity after an extended period in space, where they experienced microgravity conditions.

During this rehabilitation phase, they will undergo medical evaluations to monitor their recovery and strength. The 45-day programme will help the astronauts regain mobility and physical fitness, essential for their reintegration into daily life on Earth.

The safe return of Williams and Wilmore marks the successful completion of their space mission, a testament to the ongoing collaboration between NASA and SpaceX in advancing space exploration.

Sunita Williams live updates: People in Gujarat's Jhulasan, the native village of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, celebrated with joy and burst firecrackers after the successful splashdown of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft carrying Crew-9 near Tallahassee, Florida. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after being stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months.

Sunita Williams live updates: The White House hailed the safe return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, highlighting it as a fulfilment of President Trump's commitment.

“PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months. Today, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to @ElonMusk, @SpaceX, and @NASA!” The White House wrote in a post on X.

Sunita Williams live updates: With a successful splashdown, SpaceX recovery teams have arrived at the site to retrieve the Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Aleksandr Grebyonkin. The vehicle will soon be lifted onto the recovery vessel.

Sunita Williams live updates: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Grebenkin have safely returned to Earth after their mission aboard the International Space Station. SpaceX confirmed Dragon’s splashdown off the coast of Florida following a successful re-entry and parachute deployment.

“Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch, and Aleks!” SpaceX announced.

Sunita Williams live updates: Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after their stay aboard the International Space Station. Their journey back was completed aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which successfully re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down off the coast of Florida near Tallahassee.

The spacecraft jettisoned its trunk before performing the deorbit burn, setting it on course for re-entry. SpaceX confirmed that Dragon withstood the intense heat and forces of descent before deploying its parachutes for a smooth landing.

Williams and Wilmore, who spent months in space, will now undergo medical checks before heading to NASA’s recovery facilities. Their return marks the successful completion of their latest space mission.

Sunita Williams live updates: The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is now just five minutes from splashdown. The deorbit burn has been successfully completed, and final preparations are in place. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are on track for a safe landing off the coast of Florida.

Sunita Williams live updates: The Dragon spacecraft has temporarily lost signal with SpaceX Mission Control as it enters Earth's atmosphere. This occurs due to plasma build-up caused by the intense heat during re-entry. Communication is expected to be restored soon.

Sunita Williams live updates: SpaceX said in a post on X that after Dragon reenters Earth's atmosphere, it will splash down off the coast of Florida near Tallahassee at around 5:57 p.m. ET (3:27 a.m. IST).

Sunita Williams live updates: The Dragon spacecraft carrying astronaut Sunita Williams has jettisoned its trunk, and the deorbit burn will begin soon. This manoeuvre will set the spacecraft on its path to re-enter Earth's atmosphere before splashdown.

Sunita Williams live updates: Williams and Wilmore’s return to Earth will mark the end of a mission that has drawn significant attention due to the unexpected nature of their prolonged stay in orbit and the unforeseen events that prevented their return via the Boeing Starliner.

However, their extended mission, lasting 286 days, does not break any records. The world record for the longest time spent in space is still held by the late Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days in orbit.

On Tuesday, Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov will spend the morning and afternoon aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which measures about 13 feet (4 meters) wide. The capsule will slowly descend from the International Space Station, located around 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, toward the planet’s thick atmosphere.

Sunita Williams live updates: Sunita Williams live updates: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Nick Hague, along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule as part of the Crew-9 mission.

Despite tensions over the Ukraine conflict, space continues to be a domain of collaboration between the United States and Russia. This partnership is evident in the integrated crew rotations, with Russian cosmonauts flying to the ISS on SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and American astronauts traveling aboard Russia’s Soyuz capsules launched from Kazakhstan.

The incoming Crew-10 team includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Peskov. During their stay on the ISS, they will perform a variety of scientific experiments, such as testing material flammability to inform future spacecraft designs and studying the impact of prolonged spaceflight on human physiology.

Sunita Williams live updates: A political storm erupted on February 18, 2025, over the extended stay of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on the International Space Station (ISS), when President Donald Trump and his advisor Elon Musk accused former President Joe Biden of deliberately prolonging their mission for political reasons. The astronauts, originally launched on Boeing’s Starliner for an eight-day test flight in June 2024, faced delays due to spacecraft issues, extending their ISS stay far beyond the initial plan.

Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, claimed during the February 18, 2025, Fox News interview and later on X that Biden had rejected an earlier SpaceX proposal to bring the astronauts home months sooner, though he provided no specific evidence—such as dates or documentation—to support this assertion. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the space community, who questioned the feasibility and existence of such a plan beyond the established Crew-9 mission.

Sunita Williams live updates: In the small village of Jhulasan in Gujarat, a special havan is being performed for the safe return of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. The village, her ancestral home, is filled with prayers and rituals as residents come together to seek divine blessings for her journey back to Earth. Jhulasan, which takes great pride in its connection to Sunita Williams, has a long-standing tradition of celebrating her space missions. As news of her return spread, villagers gathered at the local temple, lighting lamps and chanting prayers for her successful landing.

Sunita Williams live updates: Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are on their way back to Earth after the Dragon spacecraft detached from the International Space Station. The hatch was sealed at 8.15 am IST on Tuesday, and the crew is expected to splash down off the Florida coast around 3:27 am IST on Wednesday. NASA revised the return schedule to ensure a smooth handover of duties and account for potential weather disruptions.

Sunita Williams live updates: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore set off aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024 for its first crewed mission, originally intended to last just over a week. However, technical issues with the spacecraft’s propulsion system prevented it from making the return trip. Deemed unsafe by NASA, the Starliner was ruled out as their ride home, leaving Williams stationed at the ISS while awaiting a replacement spacecraft.

Sunita Williams live updates: With prayers in their hearts, residents of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams' ancestral village in Gujarat eagerly await her safe return to Earth. They have planned grand celebrations, similar to Diwali, to mark the occasion on Wednesday morning. Williams is set to return after spending nine months aboard the International Space Station. In Jhulasan village, Mehsana district, the ancestral home of her father, Deepak Pandya, excitement is running high as villagers look forward to welcoming her back safely.

The Dragon spacecraft can carry up to seven passengers on missions to Earth orbit and beyond.

According to SpaceX, it is the only spacecraft currently capable of returning substantial amounts of cargo to Earth and was the first private spacecraft to transport humans to the space station.

NASA's two stuck astronauts headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a dramatic marathon mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight more than nine months ago.

Butch Wilmore and Indian-origin Sunita Williams bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard a SpaceX capsule alongside two other astronauts.

Prayers are being offered at the Dola Mata Temple in Jhulasan, the native village of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, for her safe return to Earth, ANI reported.

Williams, along with other astronauts, has begun her journey back after spending more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS).

Four NASA astronauts had to spend 20 hours in the SpaceX capsule on their return journey, right from the time of undocking to that of their splashdown.

READ FULL STORY

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, PTI reported.

Williams is scheduled to return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh Tuesday called NASA astronaut Sunita Williams a "daughter of India" as the world awaits her return along with Butch Wilmore, who have spent nearly nine months on the International Space Station.

Singh also stated that the country is "proud" of her and praying for her safe return.