Sunita Williams Returns to Earth After Extended Space Mission

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmates safely returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, concluding a mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that lasted nearly nine months. Their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico at approximately 5:57 p.m. ET, marking the end of a mission that was extended due to technical challenges with their original return vehicle.

AXIOS

Originally launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024 for what was intended to be a brief mission, Williams and fellow astronaut Barry Butch Wilmore faced an unexpected extension of their stay due to propulsion issues with the Starliner spacecraft. This necessitated their prolonged presence on the ISS until a safe return could be arranged via SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule. During their extended mission, they conducted numerous scientific experiments, contributing valuable data for future long-duration spaceflights.