What Elon Musk Stated About Sunita Williams’ Return After 9-Month Area Keep
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned dwelling after their over nine-month prolonged keep on the Worldwide Area Station (ISS). NASA’s Crew-9 returned in SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:27 am (IST). SpaceX CEO Elon Musk congratulated SpaceX and NASA groups for “one other secure astronaut return”. Musk additionally thanked his good friend and US President Donald Trump for prioritising the mission.
“Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA groups for one more secure astronaut return! Thanks to @POTUS for prioritizing this mission!”
Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA groups for one more secure astronaut return!
Thanks to @POTUS for prioritizing this mission! https://t.co/KknFDbh59s
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2025
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore flew aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Check to area on June 5 final 12 months. The 2 astronauts went on an eight-day mission to the ISS however, on June 6, as Starliner approached the area station, NASA and Boeing recognized helium leaks and skilled points with the spacecraft response management thrusters. The Starliner was despatched again to Earth with out the crew.
Later, in August, it was determined to reassign the 2 astronauts to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. This meant, downsizing the Crew-9 from 4 to 2 and dropping NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, beforehand introduced as crewmates, to create space for Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov flew to the area station as commander and mission specialist, respectively, as a part of a two-crew member flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon.
Right this moment, after over 9 months, the Crew-9 staff returned to earth.
After a 17-hour-long journey, the spacecraft deployed its parachute earlier than a splashdown within the ocean off the coast of Florida.
Splashdown confirmed! #Crew9 is now again on Earth of their @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/G5tVyqFbAu
— NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025
A NASA staff opened the hatch and helped astronauts onto mobility aids.
Ms Williams was seen waving and flashing thumbs-up indicators as she got here out of the capsule.
When requested by an X (previously Twitter) person if the astronauts will get a particular meal now, NASA stated that Crew-9 will go for an intensive medical verify first and contemporary meals might be served quickly.
“A meal on the ship isn’t usually very extravagant. They’re nonetheless adjusting to gravity, too. Recent meals coming quickly!”
“Provided To Return The Astronauts Earlier”: Elon Musk
In an interview with Fox Information, Musk claimed that SpaceX supplied former President Joe Biden’s administration to carry again the 2 astronauts earlier but it surely was “rejected for political causes.”
“We positively supplied to return the astronauts earlier. There isn’t a query about that. The astronauts had been solely speculated to be there for eight days and so they have been there for nearly 10 months. Obvioulsy, that does not make any sense. SpaceX may have introduced the astronauts after just a few months at most and we made that provide to Biden administration. It was rejected for political causes and that is only a reality,” he stated.
.@elonmusk reveals the Biden administration turned down his provide to get the stranded astronauts dwelling sooner: 🚨“It was rejected for political causes.” 🚨 pic.twitter.com/hN4pPk3YN1
— Trump Battle Room (@TrumpWarRoom) March 19, 2025
Earlier in January, Billionaire Elon Musk stated that President Trump has requested him to facilitate the return of the 2 Boeing Starliner astronauts, who’ve been on the area station since June 2024, as quickly as potential.
The SpaceX CEO stated it was “horrible” that the Biden administration “left them there so lengthy”.
“The @POTUS has requested @SpaceX to carry dwelling the two astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as quickly as potential. We are going to achieve this,” Musk stated in a publish on X.
The @POTUS has requested @SpaceX to carry dwelling the two astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as quickly as potential. We are going to achieve this.
Horrible that the Biden administration left them there so lengthy.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2025
President Trump additionally confirmed the discuss in a publish on his social media platform, TruthSocial. He stated he has requested Elon Musk and SpaceX to “go get” the 2 courageous astronauts “who’ve been just about deserted in area by the Biden Administration.” He stated that the mission will happen “quickly”.
