NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro praised the achievement, emphasising its importance in strengthening American leadership in space and fostering growth in the national space economy.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have completed over 900 hours of research involving 150 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations during their extended stay on the orbiting laboratory.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore should have been back to earth nine months ago. However, they have been orbiting the planet aboard the International Space Station (ISS).