NASA, in collaboration with SpaceX, sent the Crew 10 mission to the International Space Station to bring the stranded astronauts back to Earth after their aircraft returned empty 9 months back due to technical issues.
The aircraft carrying Sunita Williams, Butch Baltimore, Nick Hague, and Aleksandr Gorbunov landed off the coast of Florida near Tallahassee at 3:30 am IST. The Dragon spacecraft carrying the members were named “Freedom”. After the crew landed celebrations for their welcome began across borders.
SpaceX mission control from California said, “On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home,”
Crew 10 arrived on the ISS to relieve the astronauts caught in uncertainties. Before this, many astronauts had served longer durations in space, but what makes this a first-of-its-kind case is the uncertainty that has never before occurred.
With no clarity on return both the astronauts faced several problems in space and overcame the challenges from being guests on the ISS for 62 hours to residents spending time spacewalking, experimenting, and exploring. Williams has made a new record as the first female astronaut to spend 9 months in space.
On 19th March as they came 260 miles down from the ISS, Anne McClain from the ISS exclaimed, “We’ll miss you, but have a great journey home.”
Politicians and leaders took to social media to show their joy at the crew’s return. While a few remarks turned political like the White House which wrote on X, “Promise made, Promise kept”.
