NASA: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to return to Earth on 18 March 2025
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, after an unexpected nine-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Their return was initially planned for a brief mission but was extended due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which they used to reach the ISS in June 2024. The spacecraft suffered propulsion problems and helium leaks, making it unfit for their return journey.
The astronauts will be transported back to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the ISS early on Sunday, March 17. They will be accompanied by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
The return journey is planned for the evening of March 18, with an ocean splashdown off the Florida coast at approximately 5:57 PM ET (9:57 PM GMT, 3:27 AM IST on March 19). This revised timing allows for favorable weather conditions and operational flexibility ahead of potentially less favorable weather later in the week.
NASA will provide live coverage of the return journey, starting with hatch closure preparations at 10:45 PM EDT on Monday, March 17 (8:30 AM IST on March 18).
