Tue Mar 18 20:46:00 UTC 2025: ## Stranded Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Return to Earth

**Cape Canaveral, FL –** Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are set to splash down off the coast of Florida early Wednesday morning, ending a nine-month-long stay at the International Space Station (ISS). The pair undocked from the ISS at 10:35 am IST Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, beginning a 17-hour journey back to Earth. Splashdown is anticipated around 3:27 am IST Wednesday, following a deorbit burn at 2:41 am IST.

Originally scheduled for a short test flight aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2023, Williams and Wilmore’s mission was extended after propulsion problems grounded the Starliner, rendering it unable to return them to Earth. Their extended stay has raised concerns about the effects of prolonged space travel on the human body.

Read More