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Where did they land?

Published:Sunday | March 23, 2025 | 9:56 PM
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In this image provided by NASA, a SpaceX capsule splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, March 18 as it lands off the coast of Florida with NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.
AP
In this image provided by NASA, a SpaceX capsule splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, March 18 as it lands off the coast of Florida with NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.
This image taken from video released by SpaceX shows (from left) NASA's Butch Wilmore, Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, NASA’s Nick Hague, and NASA's Suni Williams waiting to exit the SpaceX capsule after splashing down on Tuesday, March 18.
AP
This image taken from video released by SpaceX shows (from left) NASA's Butch Wilmore, Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, NASA’s Nick Hague, and NASA's Suni Williams waiting to exit the SpaceX capsule after splashing down on Tuesday, March 18.
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THE EDITOR, Madam:

It was great to see the astronauts land safely and leave their capsule on Tuesday, March 18, although I will miss the great globe of Sunita Williams’ hair floating in space. It might never float freely again.

I was however confused as to where they landed, as one report said they landed in the Gulf of Mexico, while another coverage had them landing in the ‘Gulf of America’. It is a trivial, Trump-based silliness, but what would have happened if other places had multiple names and they needed to be reached swiftly?

It is also great to see the NASA brand on an extended coverage on television, but how soon will the branding become SpaceX or another company? America should support NASA and get them back to lead space exploration.

DENNIS FITZGERALD

Melbourne, Australia