Residents of Sunita Williams' ancestral village in Gujarat's Mehsana district are gearing up for Diwali-like festivities to celebrate her scheduled return to Earth.

Jhulasan village, known as the ancestral home of Williams' father, Deepak Pandya, is alive with excitement. Villagers have been praying for her safety, with many offering special prayers and lighting an Akhand Jyot (eternal flame) at the local temple of Goddess Dola Mata.

According to Williams' cousin, Navin Pandya, a grand procession will be held in her honour, accompanied by prayer chanting and fireworks to create a festive atmosphere similar to Diwali and Holi.

The villagers are keen to invite her to her paternal village in future.

"The atmosphere here is festive, with everyone eagerly anticipating her return. We will definitely invite her to visit Jhulasan in the future. It would be an honour to have her among us in her ancestral village," Pandya said.

Here are some of the experiments Crew 9 performed during their 9-month stay in space:

Micro-Algae For Generating Oxygen

Nick Hague worked on growing Arthrospira micro-algae on the ISS to help convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. These tiny algae perform photosynthesis, just like plants on Earth, helping keep the safe-to-breathe oxygen inside the spacecraft. It can also be treated as food when fresh food is not available during long-duration space missions. This experiment was led by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Improving Astronauts' Health

Butch Wilmore installed the compact workout machine called European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) on ISS for testing. The modular device combines cycling, rowing, and resistance exercises to help astronauts stay fit during long space missions. Other than this, it is also designed to prevent bone and muscle loss and improve heart health on future missions.

Red Romaine Lettuce

As part of the Plant Habitat-07 experiment, astronauts on the ISS grew red romaine lettuce in the Advanced Plant Habitat. The study is about how different moisture levels affect the microbial communities in plants and water. The purpose of the study is to understand how less-than-ideal conditions affect plant growth. The findings will help scientists create more effective farming systems that would produce nutritious food for astronauts on upcoming space flights. Click here to read more.

As Sunita Williams is set to return home after nine months on the International Space Station, Dinesh Rawal, Sunita Williams cousin brother in Gujarat, expressed happiness and said she is the pride of the nation.

"Everyone in the family, including her mother, brother and sister, is happy that she is coming back home. Our entire family is delighted and eagerly awaits her return... We have started offering prayers and visited many temples for her safety... It is a huge day for us... She is the pride of the nation... We are doing a 'Yagna' for her return and will distribute sweets upon her return," Rawal told ANI.

According to retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, there is no special overtime salary for astronauts. Since they are federal employees, their time in space is treated just like any regular work trip on Earth. They continue to earn their regular pay, with NASA covering their food and living expenses on the ISS.

The only additional compensation they receive is a small daily stipend for incidentals - reportedly just $4 (Rs 347) per day, Ms Coleman told Washingtonian.

For reference, during her 159-day mission in 2010-11, Ms Coleman received a total of around $636 (over Rs 55,000) in extra pay. Using the same calculation, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore - after spending over 287 days in space - will likely receive just $1,148 (approximately Rs 1 lakh) each in additional compensation.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are classified under the GS-15 pay grade, the highest level for federal employees under the General Schedule (GS) system. GS-15 government employees receive an annual base salary ranging between $125,133 - $162,672 (approximately Rs 1.08 crore - Rs 1.41 crore).

For their extended 9-month stay on the ISS, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore will earn a prorated salary between $93,850 - $122,004 (approximately Rs 81 lakh - Rs 1.05 crore).

Including the $1,148 (around Rs 1 lakh) in incidental pay, their total earnings for the mission is expected to be $94,998 - $123,152 (approximately Rs 82 lakh - Rs 1.06 crore).

Selected as an astronaut by NASA in July 2000, Butch Wilmore reported for training in August 2000. Following the completion of two years of training and evaluation, he was assigned technical duties representing the Astronaut Office on all propulsion systems issues including the space shuttle main engines, solid rocket motor, external tank, and also led the astronaut support team that traveled to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in support of launch and landing operations.

Wilmore completed his first flight as pilot on STS-129 where he logged more than 259 hours (11 days) in space.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024 for its first crewed flight, arriving at the space station on June 6. Following the agency’s decision to return Starliner uncrewed, the duo stayed back for over nine months as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew. Their returning journey began today at 10:35 am.

After living and working aboard the orbiting laboratory, NASA Astronauts Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov successfully undocked from the space station at 10:35 am. Watch the undocking.

The undocking process is completed. NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 members Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov have begun their return journey to home.

Sunita (Suni) L Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions, Expeditions 14/15 (December 9, 2006 to June 22, 2007) and 32/33 (July 14 to November 18, 2012).

As a member of the Expedition 14 crew, Williams served as Flight Engineer. While onboard, she established a world record for females with four spacewalks totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes. 

In June 2024, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for its first crewed flight, arriving at the space station on June 6. Following the agency’s decision to return Starliner uncrewed, the duo stayed back and worked aboard the space station as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew.

The duo along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov began their return journey today.

Astronaut Nick Hague, one of the four members of NASA's Crew-9 set to return to Earth on Wednesday early morning, feels privileged to be a part of the space station and research for humanity.

"It’s been a privilege to call the space station home, to play my part in its 25-year legacy of doing research for humanity, and to work with colleagues, now friends, from around the globe. My spaceflight career, like most, is full of the unexpected," he wrote.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the vestibule between the International Space Station and the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Clockwise from left, are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Sunita Williams, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

For Crew-9 return, NASA's live operations coverage following hatch closing is as follows (subject to change based on real-time operations):

Wednesday, March 19

10:15 am - Undocking coverage begins on NASA+

10:35 am - Undocking

2:41 am - Deorbit burn (time is approximate)

3:27 am - Splashdown (time is approximate)

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft's hatch was closed at 11:05pm ET (8:35 am IST) today. Next, the crew-9 will undock from the station at 1:05am (10:35 am IST) on Tuesday.

In picture, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying four SpaceX Crew-9 members is docked to the Harmony module’s space-facing port on the International Space Station. 

NASA Astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are packing up and closing the hatches as Crew-9 prepares to depart from the Space Station. Crew-9 is scheduled to return to Earth on Tuesday, March 18 (local time).

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are scheduled to undock from the ISS at 10:35 am IST to begin a 17-hour trip back to Earth, the NASA said.

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stuck at the International Space Station (ISS) for more than nine months, will begin their return journey today.