The Impressive TimesChennai, Mar 19,2025 : The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, featuring Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and three others, successfully concluded its ninth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew made a safe landing in a SpaceX Dragon capsule off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday morning at 03:27 IST.
In an official statement on its website, NASA confirmed that astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT.
SpaceX recovery teams swiftly retrieved the capsule and assisted the crew upon landing. Once back on shore, they will travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will reunite with their families.
“We are delighted to welcome Suni, Butch, Nick, and Aleksandr back home after their extensive mission, which involved essential scientific research, technology trials, and station upkeep,” said NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro.
“Under the direction of former U.S. President Donald Trump, NASA and SpaceX accelerated the schedule by a month. This international team and our ground crews rose to the occasion, adapting to an updated and unique mission plan to bring our astronauts back. Through commitment, innovation, and teamwork, we continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, paving the way for future missions to the Moon and Mars,” NASA stated.
Hague and Gorbunov launched on September 28, 2024, at 1:17 p.m. aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The next day, they docked at the forward-facing port of the Harmony module on the ISS.
Meanwhile, Williams and Wilmore lifted off aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41. They arrived at the ISS on June 6. In August, NASA announced the Starliner’s uncrewed return to Earth, integrating Wilmore and Williams into the space station’s Expedition 71/72 team for their return on Crew-9. The four-member crew undocked from the station at 1:05 a.m. Tuesday to begin their journey home.
Williams and Wilmore covered 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spending 286 days in space and completing 4,576 orbits around Earth.
Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles, spending 171 days in space and completing 2,736 orbits.
The Crew-9 mission marked Gorbunov’s first spaceflight. Hague has accumulated 374 days in space over two missions, Williams has logged 608 days across three spaceflights, and Wilmore has completed 464 days in orbit over three missions.
Throughout their stay, Crew-9 contributed to various scientific studies, maintenance tasks, and technological advancements.
Sunita Williams conducted two spacewalks—one alongside Wilmore and another with Hague—where they removed an old radio frequency antenna, collected external samples for analysis, repaired damaged light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more.
Williams now holds the record for the most spacewalking hours by a female astronaut, with a total of 62 hours and six minutes outside the ISS. She ranks fourth in all-time spacewalk duration.
The American members of Crew-9 completed over 150 unique scientific experiments and technological trials, dedicating more than 900 hours to research. Their studies included plant growth experiments, stem cell advancements for treating blood disorders and cancer, and testing lighting systems to regulate astronauts’ sleep cycles.
Additionally, they deployed the first wooden satellite, analyzed microbial survival in space, and conducted tests to enhance spacecraft efficiency.
Crew-9 flew aboard the Dragon capsule named Freedom, marking its fourth mission. It previously supported NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4, Axiom Mission 2, and Axiom Mission 3. The spacecraft will undergo inspections and refurbishment at SpaceX’s facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in preparation for future missions.
Crew-9’s successful return coincides with the recent arrival of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10, which docked at the ISS on March 16 to commence another long-duration research mission.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program aims to provide safe, cost-effective, and reliable transportation to and from the ISS and low Earth orbit. The program enhances research opportunities and advances discoveries crucial to human spaceflight, supporting NASA’s long-term vision for lunar and Martian exploration.
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