After an extended stay of more than nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are set to return to Earth on March 18, the agency confirmed on Sunday.
The duo, originally scheduled for a short-duration mission, was left stranded due to propulsion issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was deemed unfit to bring them back.
NASA announced that they will now return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, along with fellow astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
NASA stated that the spacecraft will splash down off Florida’s coast at approximately 5:57 p.m. (Florida time) on Tuesday (3:27 a.m. IST on March 19).
The return, initially planned for no earlier than Wednesday, was moved up in anticipation of worsening weather conditions later in the week.
“The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favourable weather conditions expected for later in the week,” NASA said in a statement.
The space agency also announced that it will provide live coverage of the return journey, beginning with hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, March 17 (8:30 a.m. IST on March 18).
The astronauts will then begin their journey back to Earth, concluding their prolonged stay in orbit.
Wilmore and Williams have been on the ISS since June 2024, far exceeding the standard six-month rotation for astronauts.
Their unexpected delay generated widespread attention, with concerns over the psychological and physical effects of extended space travel.
Despite the prolonged mission, their stay falls short of the record set by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, who spent 371 consecutive days in space in 2023, and the world record of 437 days held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov aboard the Mir space station.
The astronauts received additional clothing and personal care supplies due to the unexpected extension of their mission.
NASA ensured they were well-supported, but the delay meant an extended separation from their families.
The incident also reignited discussions on the reliability of crewed spacecraft and the logistical challenges of prolonged space missions.
The Boeing Starliner’s failure to return Wilmore and Williams has drawn scrutiny, particularly given that it was meant to be a landmark mission for the aerospace giant.
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