Tue Mar 18 01:50:00 UTC 2025: **Astronauts’ 9-Month Space Stay Ends; Return to Earth on SpaceX Crew Dragon**

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – After an unprecedented nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally returning to Earth. Their journey home, originally planned for June 2024, was significantly delayed due to repeated technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which they launched on its inaugural crewed flight.

The Starliner mission, intended to last approximately one week, was plagued by problems including helium leaks, thruster malfunctions, and software glitches. These issues led to multiple launch scrubs and subsequent delays in the astronauts’ return. Ultimately, NASA decided to return the Starliner to Earth uncrewed in September 2024, leaving Wilmore and Williams on the ISS until a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule could bring them home.

The astronauts’ extended stay concluded with their successful undocking from the ISS on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. They are expected to splash down later in the day, marking the end of their unexpected long-duration space mission. While initially disappointed by the Starliner’s malfunctions, Wilmore and Williams have expressed their relief at returning safely to Earth. The extended stay allowed for valuable research to be conducted on the ISS, but it highlighted the challenges associated with new spacecraft technologies. Investigations into the Starliner’s problems are still ongoing.

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