Sunita Williams’ Homecoming Confirmed: SpaceX Crew Dragon Set for Splashdown

Sunita Willaims and Butch Wilmore Set to Return to Earth Aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon

📅 Date: March 17, 2025
🕒 Time: 5:57 PM ET (21:57 GMT)
📍 Location: Off the Florida Coast

After nine months in space, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. The duo had been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024 due to propulsion issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

Also Read: Sunita Williams’ 9-Month ISS Stay: Here’s How Much NASA is Likely to Pay Her-No Extra Overtime And Daily Stipend of $4

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🔑 Key Highlights:

✔ Williams & Wilmore to Return After 9-Month Stay 🛰️
✔ Splashdown Off Florida Coast Scheduled for Tuesday Evening 🌊
✔ NASA Astronaut Nick Hague & Roscosmos Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov Also Returning
✔ Live Broadcast Begins Monday Night with Hatch Closure 📡
✔ Delayed Mission Due to Starliner Technical Failures 🚀

Also Read: SpaceX Crew Dragon Enters ISS: Stranded Astronauts Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore Hug Them, Thank Musk & Trump

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🛑 Why Were They Stuck?

🔹 The Boeing Starliner was supposed to bring them back after an 8-day mission but was declared unfit to fly due to propulsion system malfunctions.
🔹 NASA & Boeing opted for a SpaceX Crew Dragon rescue mission instead.
🔹 Their 9-month stay is longer than standard ISS rotations (6 months) but shorter than the US record (371 days by Frank Rubio).

Also Read: 🚀 Sunita Williams’ ISS Mission: Spacewalks, Research, and a Record-Breaking Stay

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🛰️ What’s Next?

🔹 Monday Night: Hatch closure preparations begin 🎥 (Live NASA Broadcast)
🔹 Tuesday: Crew Dragon undocks from ISS 🚀
🔹 Tuesday Evening: Splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida 🌊
🔹 Post-Landing: Recovery teams will retrieve the astronauts and return them safely to Houston.

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This marks yet another major win for SpaceX, proving Crew Dragon’s reliability in ferrying astronauts safely. Welcome home, Sunita Williams & crew! 👩‍🚀💫