NASA has confirmed that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will be returning to Earth on March 18, 2025. They will be aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule after its successful docking at the International Space Station (ISS) on March 17.
Williams and Wilmore will have NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov accompanying them on the return trip. The astronauts have been aboard the ISS since June 2024. Their return had originally been scheduled for March 19 but was brought forward with better weather.
The splashdown is scheduled at 5:57 PM ET (9:57 PM GMT or 3:27 AM IST on March 19) off the Florida coast. NASA will offer a live broadcast of the return leg, beginning with the preparations on March 17 at 10:45 PM ET.
Sunita Williams' and Butch Wilmore's time on board the spacecraft was prolonged due to propulsion problems with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The spacecraft was not capable of bringing them back to Earth, and therefore, a decision was made to take them back on the Crew Dragon.
What caused the return delay for Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore?
The original plan was for Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to make their return in the Boeing Starliner. The spacecraft, however, experienced technical problems that brought into question its propulsion system. Engineers detected a malfunction that could have endangered the safety of the astronauts upon re-entry. NASA thus decided to delay their return until a safer option could be found.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon was chosen as the most favorable candidate for the return trip. The spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on March 17, and the astronauts were able to prepare for returning home. The safety of the crew was a top priority for NASA officials, making sure all the systems were scanned before announcing the date of the return.
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What is the return schedule for Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore?
NASA announced that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore would return from the ISS on March 18, 2025. The exercise will start with preparations for hatch closure at 10:45 PM ET. Once all checks are complete, the Crew Dragon capsule will undock and start its journey towards Earth.
The splashdown at 5:57 PM ET (9:57 PM GMT on 19th March) will happen off the Florida coast, with recovery teams aboard the capsule for picking up the crew and driving them for post-mission examinations. NASA will provide live coverage of the process so that watchers can see all the major incidents of the mission.
How can viewers watch the live coverage?
NASA has organized live coverage of the trip back for international viewers. Coverage will start with the process of closing the hatch at 10:45 PM ET on March 17. The live transmission will go through undocking, re-entry, and splashdown. Interested watchers can view the event on NASA's official site, social media platforms, and cable news channels.
Besides the live telecast, NASA will also post updates on its website, outlining every phase of the mission. The coverage is intended to keep the public abreast and feature the safe return of the astronauts after their long duration in space.
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Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return on March 18, 2025, after nine months at the ISS. They were delayed because of propulsion problems with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, NASA assured, will return them home safely, with Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov. The return trip will be covered live so that people can watch the astronauts as they wrap up their mission.
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