By NASA has officially confirmed the return date for astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months. The two astronauts will finally make their journey back to Earth on Wednesday (IST) evening, traveling aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft along with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Their return capsule is scheduled to splash down in the ocean off the coast of Florida at approximately 5:57 pm ET Tuesday (4:27 am IST Wednesday).
Extended Stay Due to Boeing Starliner Issues
Williams and Wilmore were originally sent to the ISS in June 2024 as part of Boeing’s first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft. However, their return journey was delayed because of propulsion issues with the Starliner, making it unsafe for travel back to Earth. As a result, the astronauts were forced to extend their stay on the space station far beyond their original mission plan.
Since their mission was expected to be short, they had not packed enough clothing or personal supplies for a long-duration stay. NASA had to send additional resources to the ISS to support them during their extended mission. Despite the challenges, both astronauts continued their work aboard the ISS, participating in research projects, station maintenance, and supporting various space operations.
NASA Moves Up Return Date to Avoid Bad Weather
NASA originally planned the return for later in the week but decided to move the date earlier to avoid poor weather conditions. In a statement on March 16, NASA explained:
“The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected later in the week.”
Live Broadcast of the Return Mission
NASA will provide live coverage of the astronauts’ return, starting with hatch closure preparations on Tuesday evening. The entire process, from undocking to splashdown, will be broadcast live on NASA+, the agency’s streaming platform.
NASA’s Live Coverage Schedule (IST):
Tuesday, March 18
- 8:15 am – Hatch closing coverage begins
Wednesday, March 19
- 10:15 am – Undocking coverage begins
- 10:35 am – Spacecraft undocking from ISS
- 3:15 am – Return journey coverage resumes
- 3:41 am – Deorbit burn (preparing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere)
- 4:27 am – Splashdown in the ocean
- 6:00 am – NASA media conference on return mission
Challenges of an Unexpectedly Long Mission
For Williams and Wilmore, this return marks the end of an unplanned and challenging nine-month mission. Normally, astronauts remain on the ISS for about six months, making their extended stay significantly longer than expected. However, their mission was still shorter than the longest continuous spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, which was 371 days, set by NASA’s Frank Rubio in 2023. The world record remains with Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days in space.
Despite these difficulties, Williams and Wilmore continued their daily work aboard the ISS, helping with scientific experiments, spacecraft maintenance, and station operations. Their prolonged stay in space also attracted global attention, as many people sympathized with their unexpected situation—especially their lack of enough personal supplies for a long-term stay.
SpaceX Crew-10 Arrives to Take Over ISS Operations
As Williams and Wilmore prepare to leave, a new team has already arrived at the ISS. The SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched on March 14 and successfully docked with the ISS on March 16. This team includes:
- NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers
- JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi
- Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed their successful docking on social media, writing:
“SpaceX Dragon docks with Space Station.”
NASA also released an official statement about the docking, saying:
“NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday, as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the orbiting complex at 12:04 am EDT, while the station was roughly 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.”
Crew-9 to Return After Handing Over Operations
With the arrival of Crew-10, the space station now has 11 astronauts aboard, but this will change once the Crew-9 team departs. Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov—who are part of Crew-9—will leave the ISS after completing their handover duties.
This transition is part of NASA’s ongoing rotation of astronauts aboard the space station, ensuring smooth operations and continued research in space.
A Historic Homecoming
As Williams and Wilmore prepare for their long-awaited return, their journey has been a lesson in patience, resilience, and adaptability. Despite the unexpected challenges, they continued their work, supported by NASA, fellow astronauts, and space agencies worldwide. Their return will be a moment of relief and celebration, marking the end of a unique and eventful mission.
NASA remains committed to ensuring the safety and success of future space missions, as the agency continues to push the boundaries of human space exploration.
