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Astronauts Sunita Williams, 59, from Needham, Massachusetts, and Butch Wilmore, 62, blasted off in June 2024. Technical issues plagued their Boeing Starliner, and the craft returned to Earth without them out of concern for their safety.
On Friday, March 14, a SpaceX Dragon capsule launched and docked with the ISS two days later.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams floats aboard the International Space Station in November. The Massachusetts-born astronaut is expected to return home on Tuesday, March 18, after nine months in space.
The event was live-streamed on X.
NASA stated that it expects Williams, Wilmore, astronaut Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to splashdown near Florida in the Atlantic Ocean just before 6 p.m. Tuesday. Favorable weather conditions enabled the space agency to move up their return date.
"The updated return target allows space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of worsening weather conditions later in the week," NASA said.
Williams and Wilmore's time in space has been riddled with setbacks on the ground. Multiple rescue missions were canceled due to bad weather, bad luck, and safety concerns over the vessels selected to bring them home.
Despite those delays, the duo has stayed composed. During interviews, they told reporters they had trained extensively for every possible scenario and had full confidence in their colleagues to ensure their safe return.
While aboard the ISS, they remained busy, conducting station repairs and participating in multiple scientific studies. Click here to learn more about what they accomplished.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, who arrived aboard the SpaceX craft, will assume station duties after Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov depart.
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