Context : NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, along with Nick Hague (USA) and Aleksandr Gorbunov (Russia), returned to Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay in space.
- The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule “Freedom” splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida at 5:57 p.m. (0327 IST) on Tuesday.
Relevance : GS 3(Space)
Mission Overview
- Wilmore and Williams originally launched in June 2023 on Boeing’s Starliner, intended as a short-duration test mission.
- The Starliner developed propulsion issues, leading to its return without crew, leaving them stranded in space.
- They were reassigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in September 2023.
Return to Earth
- The crew left the ISS 17 hours before splashdown, after farewells with fellow astronauts.
- The capsule endured 2,000°C temperatures during re-entry before deploying parachutes for a safe ocean landing.
- They were retrieved and flown to Houston for a 45-day rehabilitation program.
Record-Breaking Stay
- Wilmore and Williams spent 286 days in space, exceeding the standard six-month ISS rotation.
- However, their stay ranks sixth in U.S. spaceflight records.
- Frank Rubio holds the U.S. record (371 days, 2023), while Valeri Polyakov (Russia) holds the global record (437 days, Mir station).
Significance & Impact
- Highlights technical challenges in space missions, especially with new spacecraft like Boeing’s Starliner.
- Demonstrates the resilience of astronauts and adaptability of NASA’s mission planning.
- Reinforces SpaceX’s growing role in human spaceflight amid Boeing’s Starliner setbacks.
- Serves as a reminder of risks in long-duration space missions and the need for robust contingency planning.
