After an extended stay of nine months, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are back on Earth. Their landing was splashy and smooth as their SpaceX capsule deployed four parachutes, splashing down off the coast of Florida. A pod of dolphins was also seen circulating the aircraft when it landed; a deserved warm welcome!
After the recovery ship reached the aircraft, they lifted it from the water to finally get the astronauts out. The astronauts beamed and waved as they were helped out of the hatch and were put on a stretcher.
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Why the Extended Stay in Space?
This saga originally began in June 2024 when the crew, including Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, was sent on a mission that was originally meant to last for eight days. The astronauts, at first, were supposedly taking part in the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, developed by aerospace company Boeing.
However, in an unfortunate turn of events, the capsule suffered several technical problems during its journey to the space station, and it was deemed too risky to take the astronauts home. So, it was decided that the Starliner should return safely to Earth, empty in early September. This meant that the pair needed a new ride for their return. An alternative one.
Then, NASA opted for the next scheduled flight: a SpaceX capsule that arrived at the ISS in late September. This flight was originally set to carry four astronauts but was modified to fly with only two, leaving room for Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams to join the return trip. However, this meant they had to wait another six months for the planned return, further prolonging their stay in orbit.
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“It is awesome to have crew 9 home, just a beautiful landing,” said Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, Nasa’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. Thanking the astronauts for their resilience and flexibility, he said SpaceX had been a “great partner.”
Journey Back to Earth
The astronauts’ return back home in a total of 17 hours, culminating in their parachute-assisted landing. Once back on solid ground, they were assisted onto stretchers, a standard procedure for astronauts after long-term space missions due to the effects of weightlessness on the body. They will now undergo medical evaluations before reuniting with their families.
The Need For Rehabilitation
Following their return, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will be transferred to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for medical evaluations and will be undergoing 45 days rehabilitation programme to allow them to adjust after months in microgravity.
This is really crucial because extended time in microgravity can have significant effects on the human body, which might affect a person’s bone density, muscle atrophy, blood circulation and fluid shift. This disrupts the body’s functioning to a great extent.
Hence, now NASA will design a specialised exercise regimen to help them re-adapt to Earth’s gravity.
“Your body feels great in space – like a holiday. Your heart, muscles, and bones are having an easy time because you’re floating. But when you return, those first two or three days can be really punishing. You must keep up the exercise regime in space, not for space itself, but for when you come back to Earth’s punishing gravity“ said a British astronaut regarding the adjustment process.
Hopefully, now both the astronauts will be able to catch up on all the important life events that they originally planned to be a part of. The nine months can never be returned to the astronauts but maybe that is what makes their return back home even much more memorable. The little setbacks that makes us appreciate life!
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