Houston, April 1(H.S.): NASA’s veteran astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who flew on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for just eight days, returned to Earth after 286 days. Their successful return occurred on March 18 via the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The two astronauts publicly shared their mission experiences for the first time today from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, after returning to Earth.
After a long period away, Sunita Williams shared her feelings, saying, I wanted to hug my husband and my pet dogs the most. She mentioned that the first thing she enjoyed at home was a grilled cheese sandwich, which reminded her of her father.
On their safe return to Earth, Butch Wilmore said, We are grateful to this country that prayed for us and stood by us. Sunita added, We didn’t know what was happening on Earth. But we’re feeling honored and humbled by people’s reactions. She further stated, What we are doing is important too; teams are helping us readjust and preparing us for new challenges.
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams described her time spent on the ISS as a priceless scientific opportunity. She mentioned that she conducted several important experiments during this time. She noted that this mission ranks as the sixth-longest in U.S. space missions. However, the record for the longest duration is held by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, who set a new benchmark by staying in space for 371 days.
Why did the astronauts have to stay in space for 286 days? In response to this question, Williams and Wilmore explained that they had to remain at the space station due to technical difficulties with the Starliner spacecraft developed by NASA and Boeing. Their mission was only supposed to last eight days, but due to issues with the propulsion system of the Starliner, NASA repeatedly postponed their return. Ultimately, it was decided that their return via SpaceX’s Crew Dragon would be safer, allowing for their return. However, NASA and Boeing are conducting a detailed investigation into the failures of the Starliner. They reported that new flights from NASA and SpaceX are being planned to ensure that such technical problems do not occur again in the future.
Sunita and Buch stated that after spending 286 days in zero gravity, both astronauts are undergoing a rehabilitation process at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. During this time, they are performing special exercises to help their muscles and bones adapt to Earth’s gravity so they can better adjust to the terrestrial environment.
In response to a question about who is responsible for their extended stay on the ISS, Buch Wilmore said, We are all responsible. We should look forward; we can’t just sit and blame anyone. He further added, We are going to fix the problems. Meanwhile, building on Buch’s response, Nick Hague said, Our focus was on the mission; there was no room for politics there.
Sunita and Buch’s colleague, Nick Hague, said, We have all conducted several missions at the space station. We are currently in the golden age of the space station. He further stated, When I think about the future of human space exploration, I truly become optimistic. He mentioned that this mission was our national goal, our national focus.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
