NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who initially embarked on a short test flight aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, are finally preparing to return to Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their prolonged mission was due to technical failures in the Starliner capsule, which returned to Earth empty in September, leaving the two astronauts stranded. With a newly arrived crew at the ISS, Williams and Wilmore are set to make their long-awaited journey home aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. The mission, which has drawn global attention, highlights both the resilience of the astronauts and the challenges facing commercial spaceflight programs.
What are stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore looking forward to on Earth
After spending nearly a year in space, both astronauts are eager to return to familiar surroundings.
- Wilmore, a church elder, looks forward to reuniting with his congregation, walking on grass, and spending time with family.
- Williams is excited to walk her two Labrador retrievers and go for an ocean swim.
During their extended mission, Wilmore continued ministering remotely, participating in prayer services from space. Williams, meanwhile, stayed in contact with her family, with her husband Mike taking care of their dogs in her absence.
Why were Williams and Wilmore stuck on the ISS
The pair launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, for what was expected to be a brief test flight. However, soon after liftoff, multiple malfunctions occurred:
- Helium leaks and thruster failures affected the Starliner’s maneuverability.
- Engineers deemed it too risky to bring the astronauts back in the capsule.
- NASA decided to send the spacecraft back to Earth empty in September while keeping the astronauts safely on the ISS.
With the Starliner no longer an option, Williams and Wilmore had to wait for the next available return spacecraft—SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which was initially delayed due to battery issues on its new capsule.
NASA astronauts’ long-awaited return to Earth
Now that a replacement crew has arrived at the ISS, NASA has scheduled the astronauts’ return for Tuesday, March 19, 2025.
Return timeline:
Boarding the SpaceX Crew Dragon:
- Wilmore and Williams will enter the capsule and seal the hatch at approximately 11:05 PM ET on March 18.
- They will don flight suits and complete pre-departure checks before undocking.
Undocking and departure:
- The Crew Dragon capsule is scheduled to undock from the ISS at 1:05 AM ET on March 19.
- NASA will begin live-streaming the event starting at 12:45 AM ET.
Descent and splashdown:
- The spacecraft will begin its descent and splash down in the Gulf of Mexico around 5:57 PM ET on the same day.
- NASA recovery teams will retrieve the astronauts and transport them to Houston’s Johnson Space Center for post-mission medical evaluations.
Unlike Russia’s Soyuz capsule, which can return astronauts in 3.5 hours, Crew Dragon follows a 17-hour return sequence to prioritize safety and landing precision.
Why are Williams and Wilmore returning in a SpaceX capsule instead of Boeing’s Starliner
Traditionally, astronauts return to Earth in the same spacecraft they launched in. However, due to the malfunctions in Starliner, NASA had no choice but to rely on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon instead.
Boeing Starliner vs SpaceX Crew Dragon: Key differences
NASA initially aimed to have two commercial spacecraft available for astronaut transport—Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. However, with Starliner facing ongoing technical challenges, SpaceX remains NASA’s primary partner for human spaceflight.
What’s next for Boeing’s Starliner
Starliner’s future remains uncertain as Boeing engineers continue investigating its propulsion system failures.
- NASA has not set a date for Starliner’s next crewed flight and may choose to conduct additional uncrewed test missions before allowing astronauts to fly again.
- The delays have further solidified SpaceX’s dominance in commercial human spaceflight, as Crew Dragon remains the only operational U.S. spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts.
NASA officials, however, still support having two competing spacecraft for redundancy and are hopeful that Starliner can eventually become a reliable alternative.