NASA Astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams Return: Know when and where to watch in USA, UK and Canada

NASA astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams are scheduled to return to Earth after an unplanned nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Initially set for a brief mission, technical issues extended their time in orbit. They will return alongside fellow astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

Extended Mission

Wilmore and Williams launched to the ISS aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in June 2024. The mission was the first crewed flight for the vehicle. However, technical problems arose, including propulsion issues, leading NASA to decide to return the spacecraft without its crew. The Starliner landed autonomously in New Mexico in September 2024. This decision left the astronauts aboard the ISS longer than planned.

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Integration into SpaceX Crew-9 Mission

After the Starliner's return without crew, Wilmore and Williams joined the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. This mission included NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The Crew-9 team awaited the arrival of their replacements to conclude their mission. The replacement crew, known as Crew-10, arrived at the ISS on Saturday after launching from Florida.

Scheduled Return to Earth

With Crew-10 aboard the ISS, Wilmore, Williams, Hague and Gorbunov are set to return to Earth. They will travel in a SpaceX Dragon capsule. NASA initially planned the undocking for Wednesday but moved it earlier due to weather conditions. The crew is now expected to undock early Tuesday morning from the ISS.

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Return Timeline and Coverage

The astronauts will undock from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. They will embark on a 17-hour journey back to Earth. The planned splashdown is at approximately 5:57 p.m. EDT off the Florida coast. NASA will provide live coverage of both the undocking and landing on its streaming service, NASA+. The livestream of the Dragon's undocking is scheduled to begin at 12:45 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. Coverage of the return voyage will resume around 4:45 p.m. EDT before the spacecraft's planned deorbit burn and water landing. A press conference is planned around 7:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the landing.

FAQs

Why was the return of Wilmore and Williams delayed?
Technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft led to an extended nine-month stay aboard the ISS for astronauts Wilmore and Williams.

How will the astronauts return to Earth?
They will return aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, scheduled to undock from the ISS early Tuesday morning and splash down off the Florida coast in the evening.