NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have started a 45-day rehabilitation program to help their bodies adjust to Earth’s gravity after spending nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). They safely returned to Earth on Wednesday as part of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.

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• Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore return to Earth after a 9-month mission in space.
• The astronauts began a 45-day rehabilitation program to adjust to Earth’s gravity.
• Their return was part of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which splashed down off Florida’s coast.
• The astronauts spent months in microgravity, leading to muscle atrophy and fluid shifts.
• Common issues astronauts face include puffy faces, muscle weakness, and reduced bone density.
• Rehabilitation includes two-hour daily sessions for 45 days to restore physical health.
• The program is divided into three phases: mobility, muscle strengthening, and functional development.
• Past studies show astronauts often regain or even improve their physical condition after rehab.
• Williams and Wilmore’s mission was originally planned for 8 days but was extended due to spacecraft issues.
• They returned to Earth 17 hours after Crew-10 arrived at the ISS, with a safe splashdown at 3:27 a.m. IST.