Williams and Wilmore blasted off on June 5, 2024, to test the Starliner. When it couldn’t bring them home safely, NASA sent it back empty in September. The pair stayed on the ISS, joining Expedition 71/72, until SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission brought them down with astronauts Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. They landed off Florida’s coast at 5:57 PM EDT.
Sunita Williams has now spent 608 days in space across three missions—an amazing feat. She’s also clocked over 62 hours spacewalking, ranking her fourth among NASA astronauts and first among women. But after 287 days floating this time, her body isn’t used to Earth anymore. Walking? That’s the next big hurdle.
“Up here, I’ve forgotten what walking feels like,” Williams told students from Needham High School during a call from space. “I haven’t stood, sat, or even lain down properly.” In zero gravity, muscles weaken, and bones get brittle because they don’t have to work. When she landed, medics carried her out of the capsule on a stretcher—a normal step for long-haul astronauts.
Gravity feels heavy after so long without it. Experts say it might take six weeks for her to walk well again. Dr. Vinay Gupta, a doctor with Air Force experience, says, “Her legs will feel like jelly at first. Relearning to walk is tough after losing muscle and bone strength.” NASA’s recovery plan includes walking exercises, balance drills, and good food to rebuild her body.
Walking isn’t the only challenge. Her heart’s weaker from not pumping against gravity. Her spine stretched in space, so her back might hurt. Even her feet – soft like a baby’s from not touching anything—could ache until they toughen up. Plus, after nine months away, she’ll need time to adjust mentally. Talking to her mom daily kept her spirits up in orbit, but settling back into Earth life could feel strange. NASA’s team will help her every step of the way.
Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2025
Theirs has been a test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit. Sunita Williams and the #Crew9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance truly means. Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown… pic.twitter.com/FkgagekJ7C
Williams’ safe return wowed the world. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, “Welcome back, Sunita! Your courage and grit shine bright.” Her journey shows how NASA and SpaceX teamwork—and astronaut toughness—make space missions work, even when plans go off track.
As of March 19, 2025, Williams is in Houston, starting her recovery with NASA’s doctors. Her story proves humans can adapt to anything, even space.
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