NASA: Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore to Return to Earth Tomorrow

Two U.S. astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months, are finally set to return to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, according to NASA.

The astronauts, along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will be transported back to Earth aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which arrived at the ISS early on Sunday.

Wilmore and Williams had been on the ISS since June after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which they were testing on its first crewed mission, experienced propulsion issues and was deemed unfit for their return journey. As a result, the duo found themselves stranded on the space station for much longer than planned, awaiting a safe return home.

NASA announced on Sunday that the astronauts’ planned ocean splashdown off the coast of Florida has been rescheduled for 5:57 p.m. Tuesday (2157 GMT), moved up from its original date of Wednesday. The agency explained that the updated timeline allows for the necessary handover duties to be completed by the space station crew while also providing flexibility ahead of anticipated unfavorable weather conditions later in the week.

Wilmore and Williams' extended stay has drawn attention due to its unexpected nature. Their mission, initially expected to last just a few days, ended up lasting nearly nine months—far longer than the usual six-month rotation for ISS astronauts. However, it is still significantly shorter than the U.S. space record of 371 days set by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio aboard the ISS in 2023, and much shorter than the world record held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 days aboard the Mir space station.

Despite the ordeal, which required the astronauts to receive additional supplies due to their extended stay—such as clothing and personal care items—the situation has garnered sympathy and interest, particularly considering the challenges of being away from their families for so long.

The return journey will be broadcast live starting Monday evening when preparations for hatch closure begin, with the crew expected to land on Earth shortly after the scheduled splashdown.