The spacecraft carrying astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth has undocked from the International Space Station(ISS) marking the end of a nine-month-long journey on ISS.
NASA said that Crew-9 undocked at 10:35 AM (IST) and shared a video of the spacecraft separating from the station. Their mission was supposed to be a short eight-day test flight on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, it was extended due to unexpected technical problems with the vehicle. Williams is returning to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft along with Wilmore and two other Crew-9 members.
Sunita Williams is now headed home! 🤞 Crew9 undocks from ISS, journey begins to Earth pic.twitter.com/gKKnevsUKH
— Akshita Nandagopal (@Akshita_N) March 18, 2025
Why mission get extended
The astronauts have been on the ISS since June last year after flying on the first crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, due to technical issues, the Starliner was considered unsafe for their return.
Because of Starliner’s propulsion problems, an alternative plan was made, and they were included in the Crew-9 mission for their journey back to Earth.
Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5, 2024, for a short stay at the ISS. However, soon after their arrival, engineers discovered helium leaks and propulsion system malfunctions in the Starliner spacecraft, making it unsafe for their return. By August 2024, NASA acknowledged the delay and started planning an alternative return using a SpaceX mission scheduled for early 2025.
In September 2024, the Starliner returned to Earth without the astronauts, allowing the docking port to be used for other spacecraft. This decision was made to keep the ISS running smoothly while NASA worked on a safe return plan for Williams and Wilmore.
About the new return plan
During their extended stay, the astronauts adapted by participating in over 150 scientific experiments, making valuable contributions to space research.
To return to Earth, they were included in the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The arrival of the Crew-10 mission at the ISS on March 17 enabled the necessary crew exchange for their departure. Williams and Wilmore are now aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, along with astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.
The four astronauts are set to splash down off the coast of Florida at 3:27 a.m. IST on March 19, following a 17-hour journey through Earth’s atmosphere. This marks an important milestone in their mission as they prepare to readjust to Earth’s gravity after nearly nine months in space.
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