NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Return Home on SpaceX Dragon After 9 Months

NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Return Home Aboard SpaceX Dragon After 9 Months Stranded in Space

On March 18, 2025, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore successfully began their long-awaited journey back to Earth after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The duo, originally scheduled for an eight-day mission, faced an unexpected extension due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Their return, facilitated by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, marks the end of a dramatic saga that captured global attention. Accompanied by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, Williams and Wilmore undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET, with a splashdown off Florida’s coast scheduled for approximately 5:57 p.m. ET.

A Mission That Took an Unexpected Turn

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched into space on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner for its maiden crewed test flight. The mission was intended to evaluate the spacecraft’s capabilities, with a planned return after just over a week. However, propulsion issues, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, rendered the Starliner unsafe for their return journey. NASA made the decision in August 2024 to keep the astronauts on the ISS, extending their stay far beyond the original timeline. The Starliner returned to Earth uncrewed in September, leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded until a rescue plan could be executed.

The SpaceX Rescue Mission: Crew-9 and Crew-10 Coordination

SpaceX stepped in to orchestrate the astronauts’ return, utilizing its reliable Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Crew-9 mission, launched in September 2024 with two empty seats reserved for Williams and Wilmore, integrated them into its team alongside Hague and Gorbunov. After months of scientific research and maintenance duties on the ISS, the Crew-9 team prepared for their departure as the Crew-10 mission docked on March 16, 2025. This handover ensured continuous staffing of the ISS while allowing the stranded astronauts to finally head home.

How the SpaceX Dragon Brought Them Back

The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named "Freedom," undocked autonomously from the ISS in the early hours of March 18, initiating a 17-hour journey back to Earth. The capsule performed a series of maneuvers, including thruster burns to adjust its orbit, before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. NASA and SpaceX closely monitored weather conditions off Florida’s Gulf Coast to determine the precise splashdown location. Live coverage of the event, broadcast on NASA+ and other platforms, showcased the astronauts’ final preparations, including hatch closure and their transition into the Crew Dragon.

Challenges of an Extended Space Stay

The prolonged mission tested the resilience of Williams and Wilmore, both seasoned astronauts with prior spaceflight experience. Spending over 270 days in microgravity posed physical challenges, including muscle atrophy and fluid shifts, which they will need to readjust to upon returning to Earth’s gravity. Despite these hurdles, the duo remained productive, contributing to ISS research and maintenance. Williams even took command of the station during her stay, marking her second time in that role.

A Political Spotlight on the Stranded Astronauts

The astronauts’ extended stay became a point of political contention in early 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed the Biden administration had "abandoned" Williams and Wilmore, framing the Crew-10 mission as a special rescue effort. However, NASA and the astronauts themselves refuted these assertions, emphasizing that their return was part of a carefully planned rotation schedule. Wilmore told reporters, “We don’t feel abandoned or stranded—this is how human spaceflight works.”

A Heroic Homecoming Awaits

As the Crew Dragon approaches its splashdown, anticipation builds for Williams and Wilmore’s return. In Sunita Williams’ ancestral village of Jhulasan, Gujarat, India, residents are planning a grand celebration with fireworks and prayers, hailing her as a “daughter of India.” Upon landing, the astronauts will be transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for medical evaluations to assess the effects of their extended space stay. Their homecoming concludes a remarkable chapter in NASA’s commercial crew program, highlighting both the challenges and triumphs of modern space exploration.

What’s Next for NASA and SpaceX?

The successful return of Williams and Wilmore underscores SpaceX’s pivotal role in NASA’s human spaceflight efforts, contrasting with Boeing’s ongoing struggles to certify the Starliner for regular missions. While SpaceX continues to dominate with its Crew Dragon, NASA remains committed to fostering competition in the commercial space sector. For now, the focus is on celebrating the safe return of two veteran astronauts who turned an unforeseen delay into a testament to perseverance.

Watch the NASA Live Splashdown

NASA’s live coverage of the Crew-9 splashdown began at 2:15 a.m. IST (March 19) on NASA+, X, and YouTube, offering viewers a front-row seat to this historic event. The broadcast will capture the deorbit burn, reentry, and final splashdown, followed by the astronauts’ recovery by SpaceX teams. Don’t miss this milestone in space exploration history!