Tue Mar 18 14:35:32 UTC 2025: ## Stranded Astronauts Williams and Wilmore Begin Journey Home

**Cape Canaveral, FL –** Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who spent over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after their return flight was aborted, have begun their journey back to Earth. The pair undocked from the ISS at 10:35 am IST Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. Their journey is expected to take approximately 17 hours, with a splashdown anticipated off the coast of Florida around 3:27 am IST Wednesday.

Williams and Wilmore’s extended stay was due to propulsion issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was originally intended for their return trip after a short mission to test the vessel. The Starliner returned to Earth empty, leaving the astronauts stranded at the ISS since June of last year. Their safe return marks the end of an unexpectedly prolonged space mission.

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