Sunita Williams, Crew-9 undocked from ISS, return to Earth begins| WATCH

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have undocked from the International Space Station (ISS), marking the final step before their long-awaited return to Earth. Their departure follows an extended nine-month mission that was originally intended to last just over a week.

Earlier, Crew-9 boarded the Dragon Freedom spacecraft. Pre-departure checks confirmed no leaks in the suits of the departing Crew-9 members. Dragon Freedom undocked from the International Space Station at 1.05 EST, ahead of their 17-hour journey back to Earth.

As the Crew Dragon spacecraft reenters Earth’s atmosphere, it will deploy two sets of parachutes to slow its descent. If all goes as planned, the capsule will reduce its speed from more than 17,000 mph (27,359 kph) to less than 20 mph (32 kph) before splashing down in the ocean, CNN reported. A nearby SpaceX recovery ship will then retrieve the spacecraft from the water. The astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, will exit the capsule, taking their first breath of Earth's air after more than nine months in space.

Crew-9 Commander Nick Hague will lead the return mission, accompanying Williams, Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov as they undock from the ISS’s Harmony module today. The four astronauts are set to commence their 17-hour return journey, with splashdown expected off the coast of Florida at 3:27 a.m. IST on 19 March 2025.

Extended stay due to Starliner malfunctions

Williams and Wilmore embarked on their journey aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on 5 June 2024, as part of its maiden crewed mission. Initially scheduled for a brief eight-day test flight, their return was significantly delayed due to technical complications with Starliner’s propulsion system, including helium leaks and malfunctions. Engineers deemed the vehicle unsafe for the astronauts’ journey back to Earth.

In September 2024, the Starliner returned to Earth without its crew, allowing NASA to free up the ISS docking port for other missions. As a result, the agency formulated a contingency plan, incorporating Williams and Wilmore into SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission for their eventual return.

Boeing's malfunctioning Starliner spacecraft made history in spaceflight by becoming the first crewed vehicle to launch but return to Earth without its astronauts when it landed in September 2024.

Scientific contributions and crew transition

During their extended stay, the astronauts took part in over 150 scientific experiments, contributing to various research initiatives aboard the ISS. Meanwhile, NASA coordinated an alternative return plan, aligning their departure with the arrival of Crew-10 on 17 March 2025. This exchange enabled Crew-9, including Williams and Wilmore, to prepare for their journey home.