NASA reveals Sunita Williams’ return date and splashdown time
NASA confirmed that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will return to Earth on March 18. They have spent over nine months on the ISS after propulsion issues grounded their Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will bring them back along with astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The craft, which docked with the ISS on Sunday, will splash down off Florida’s coast at 5:57 PM EDT (3:27 AM IST, March 19). NASA moved the return up from Wednesday due to worsening weather later in the week.
NASA will broadcast the return live, starting with hatch closure preparations at 10:45 PM EDT on March 17 (8:30 AM IST, March 18). The journey marks the end of an unexpected ordeal for Wilmore and Williams. Their trip was supposed to be brief, but technical failures kept them in space far longer than planned.
Although their stay exceeded the usual six-month astronaut rotation, it didn’t break records. NASA’s Frank Rubio spent 371 days in space in 2023, while Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov holds the world record with 437 days aboard Mir.
The astronauts’ extended mission sparked public interest and concern. Since they had packed for only a short trip, NASA had to send additional clothing and supplies. Their long-awaited return will finally reunite them with their families.
