NASA astronauts stranded for 9 months on ISS set to return to earth tomorrow on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon

After spending an unexpected nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally coming back to Earth on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Their return follows the successful docking of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which delivered a replacement crew and cleared the way for the astronauts’ departure. This is another example of NASA and SpaceX working together to manage space missions.

The astronauts are scheduled to splash down off the Florida coast at approximately 5:57 pm Tuesday, March 18, NASA said in a post on X. The agency plans to broadcast the return live, with coverage starting Monday night.

.@NASA will provide live coverage of Crew-9’s return to Earth from the @Space_Station, beginning with @SpaceX Dragon hatch closure preparations at 10:45pm ET Monday, March 17.

Splashdown is slated for approximately 5:57pm Tuesday, March 18: https://t.co/yABLg20tKX pic.twitter.com/alujSplsHm

— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) March 16, 2025

Astronauts Returning To Earth After Nine-Month Stay on ISS

This marks the end of a long, unplanned chapter for Wilmore and Williams and adds another milestone to NASA’s growing partnership with private space companies.

“NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida’s coast for the return of the agency’s Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18. The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected for later in the week,” NASA said in a news release.

Boeing’s Starliner Setbacks: How Delays Paved the Way for SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Return

The decision to bring them home on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon comes after NASA replaced Boeing’s Starliner for two crew rotation missions to the ISS in 2025. NASA had initially hoped Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner would be ready, but ongoing certification delays forced a change in plans.

NASA’s move reportedly left Boeing employees frustrated. The astronauts originally traveled to the ISS in June using Boeing’s Starliner capsule, but they will now return to Earth early next year on a SpaceX vehicle.

One Boeing employee described the mood as grim. “We have had so many embarrassments lately, we’re under a microscope. This just made it, like, 100 times worse,” they told The New York Post. “We hate SpaceX,” the employee added. “We talk s–t about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out. It’s shameful. I’m embarrassed, I’m horrified.”

Starliner faced multiple setbacks, including a helium leak before liftoff that worsened once it docked at the ISS. Originally set for a nine-day mission, the astronauts ended up spending 49 days in space. They’re now expected to remain in orbit until August, according to Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager.

Further issues included thruster failures. Although some were fixed, NASA decided it was safer for the astronauts to return on SpaceX’s Dragon Crew-9 mission in February 2025.

These problems have been costly. Boeing has spent around $1.5 billion beyond its initial $4.5 billion contract with NASA. Starliner was supposed to be NASA’s second option for ISS transportation alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, but the delays have put Starliner’s future in question and added more pressure to Boeing’s reputation.

This year has been rough for Boeing. Safety concerns have been in the spotlight following incidents like a door panel mishap on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet. At least 20 whistleblowers have raised concerns about safety and quality issues, with some reportedly facing serious consequences.

NASA’s live broadcast of the astronauts’ return kicks off Monday night. Stay tuned for updates on their safe journey home.