Elon Musk's SpaceX has successfully returned NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth after they were stuck in space for nine months. The astronauts returned safely in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which traveled from the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth. It landed in the waters off Florida on March 19 at around 3:27 am (IST).

NASA worked hard to ensure their safe return after their long stay in space. Elon Musk’s SpaceX played a big role in this effort, with the Dragon capsule taking about 17 hours to complete the journey from the ISS to Earth.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule

The Crew Dragon capsule is a special spacecraft designed by SpaceX. It can carry up to seven astronauts either to Earth’s orbit or deeper into space. According to SpaceX, this capsule is the only spacecraft in the world that can transport cargo from Earth to space and back. It also holds the record as the first private spacecraft to successfully carry humans to the ISS. SpaceX first achieved this in 2020 when it transported NASA astronauts to and from the ISS.

Additionally, the Crew Dragon capsule can carry commercial astronauts to various destinations — whether it’s orbiting Earth, reaching the ISS, or traveling to other space locations.

How does the Crew Dragon capsule work?

The Crew Dragon capsule is equipped with 16 Draco thrusters that help it move and adjust its position in space. Each of these thrusters produces 90 pounds (ca. 41 kg) of force in the vacuum of space, allowing the capsule to change direction and control its altitude. To ensure a smooth and safe landing, the capsule also has two drogue parachutes, which help slow it down during descent.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were supposed to stay on the International Space Station (ISS) for only one week after arriving on June 5, 2024. But a problem with their spaceship forced them to stay much longer — a total of 286 days. NASA carefully planned their return, and they finally came back to Earth using SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule.

This situation is similar to what happened to astronaut Frank Rubio in 2023. He ended up staying in space for 371 days — the longest time for a U.S. astronaut — because the Russian spacecraft meant to bring him back had a problem.

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