March 19, 2025 / 04:59 IST

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, after spending 286 days in space, steps out of the Dragon Freedom capsule with a big smile and a wave, celebrating her long-awaited return to Earth.

Commander Butch Wilmore, the last astronaut to exit, poses for the camera with a relieved smile, marking the end of his extended space mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA astronauts—Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore pose together after their safe splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Dragon Freedom capsule hits the ocean, completing its high-speed descent from space. A dramatic scene as waves ripple outward from the point of impact.

Recovery teams swiftly attach safety harnesses to the capsule, ensuring it can be towed securely toward the retrieval vessel for the next phase of the post-landing operation.

The SpaceX recovery vessel “Megan” lifts the Dragon capsule out of the ocean, marking another successful human spaceflight return for NASA and SpaceX.

A rare inside look at Crew-9 aboard the Dragon Freedom spacecraft, moments before the hatch is opened for their first breath of fresh air after months in microgravity.

The final moments of Crew-9’s journey as their capsule gently floats on the ocean’s surface, awaiting recovery teams to secure and retrieve them.

A breathtaking view of the four massive parachutes opening up, slowing down the Dragon Freedom capsule for a controlled landing in the ocean.

The Dragon Freedom capsule initiates its deorbit burn, marking the start of the final leg of Crew-9’s return journey after nearly 10 months in space.

Butch Wilmore, Sunita Williams, Aleksandr Gorbunov, and Nick Hague pose for camera before the Dragon Freedom capsule separates from the ISS, officially beginning their descent back to Earth.

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