Wed Mar 19 08:55:18 UTC 2025: ## Stranded Astronauts Williams and Wilmore Return to Earth After Nine-Month ISS Stay
**Cape Canaveral, FL** – Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed down off the coast of Florida early Wednesday morning, concluding a nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS). Their return, aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule along with American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, marked the end of an extended mission that began last June.
Originally slated for a short test flight to assess Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, the mission was extended when the Starliner experienced propulsion issues, rendering it unable to return to Earth. The Starliner subsequently returned to Earth empty. Williams and Wilmore, along with their fellow crewmates, completed their mission aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon. The capsule entered Earth’s atmosphere and deployed parachutes for a safe splashdown at 3:27 am IST.
First Piper 