Sunita Williams returns: Dolphins greeted Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore as the SpaceX capsule carrying them made the splashdown off the Florida coast.
Dolphins welcome Sunita Williams: Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore received a special welcome by a group of dolphins which rushed to the splashdown spot after the capsule landed off the Florida coast on Tuesday (local time). The splashdown occurred around 3:27 am IST as parachutes opened, facilitating a gentle landing of the SpaceX vehicle off the Florida coast. Dolphins circled the capsule as divers readied it for hoisting onto the recovery ship.
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Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening, just hours after departing the International Space Station. Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, bringing their unplanned odyssey to an end.
Within an hour, the astronauts were out of their capsule, waving and smiling at the cameras while being hustled away in reclining stretchers for routine medical checks.
Wilmore and Williams ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days longer than anticipated when they launched. They circled Earth 4,576 times and travelled 121 million miles (195 million kilometres) by the time of splashdown.
Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.
Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her husband, mother and other relatives.
Prayers for Williams and Wilmore were offered up at 21 Hindu temples in the US in the months leading up to their return, said organiser Tejal Shah, president of the World Hindu Council of America.
Williams has spoken frequently about her Indian and Slovenian heritage. Prayers for their safe return also came from Wilmore’s Baptist Church in Houston, where he serves as an elder.
(With inputs from AP)
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