NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth on March 18, following an extensive stay of over nine months aboard the International Space Station. Their re-entry is planned to occur with a splashdown off the coast of Florida at approximately 5:57 p.m. local time (21:57 GMT).The return of Williams and Wilmore has been delayed unexpectedly. Initially, they were slated to participate in a test mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024. However, due to propulsion issues, the spacecraft was rendered unfit for the return journey, resulting in the astronauts remaining on the ISS while awaiting a replacement shuttle for their homeward journey.On March 16, SpaceX Crew Dragon successfully docked with the ISS, bringing American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the station as replacements for Williams and Wilmore. Although their return was originally planned for March 19, NASA revised the schedule to enhance operational flexibility and to account for anticipated adverse weather conditions later in the week.In a video released on March 17, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared a message from the astronauts, expressing their gratitude to both Musk and President Donald Trump for their support in facilitating their return. Williams conveyed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are coming back before long, so don’t make those plans without me. We’ll be back before too long.” President Trump also conveyed his excitement regarding their return, pledging to personally welcome the astronauts upon their arrival.
