‘Don’t Make Those Plans Without Me’: NASA Confirms Sunita Williams’ Return After Nine Months on ISS

After being stranded in space for over nine months, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth. NASA has confirmed that their highly anticipated homecoming will take place on Tuesday, March 18, with the splashdown scheduled for 5:57 PM local time off Florida’s coast (3:27 AM IST, March 19).

The announcement marks the end of an unexpectedly prolonged mission caused by technical failures aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which had initially transported Williams and Wilmore to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024. However, propulsion issues rendered the spacecraft unsuitable for their return journey, leaving the astronauts in limbo for months.

SpaceX Crew Dragon to the Rescue

With NASA under mounting pressure, the space agency turned to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which dispatched a Crew Dragon capsule as part of the Crew-9 mission to bring the stranded astronauts home. The spacecraft successfully docked at the ISS early Sunday, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who will replace the returning crew.

The change in return plans also comes in response to weather concerns. NASA stated that adverse weather conditions expected later in the week prompted them to move up the splashdown schedule.

“The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility,” NASA noted in a statement.

Public & Political Interest in the Return Mission

The prolonged stay of Williams and Wilmore has garnered global attention, with political figures and the public closely watching the mission. In a widely circulated video shared by Elon Musk, Sunita Williams addressed the situation with optimism, saying,
“We are coming back before long, so don’t make those plans without me. We’ll be back before too long.”

Meanwhile, Wilmore expressed gratitude towards both Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump, stating,
“We all have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk and obviously respect and admiration for the President of the United States, Donald Trump. We appreciate them, we appreciate all they do for human spaceflight and for our nation.”

The clip, captioned “Stranded NASA Astronauts Thank Elon Musk and Trump”, has amassed over 4.8 million views on X (formerly Twitter). The remarks have sparked debates, as Musk and Trump have previously criticized the Biden administration, claiming that the astronauts were left stranded due to “political reasons.” Musk also alleged that SpaceX accelerated the rescue mission at Trump’s request.

Lighter Moments Amid the Tense Return

Despite the challenges, the return mission saw moments of humor. As the SpaceX Crew Dragon docked at the ISS on Sunday, astronaut Nick Hague surprised the crew by floating into the spacecraft wearing an alien mask, a lighthearted gesture that sparked laughter aboard the station.

Williams later expressed her gratitude to Mission Control, saying,
“It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive. Thank you so much.”

Live Coverage of the Return Mission

NASA has announced live coverage of the astronauts' return, beginning with hatch closure preparations at 10:45 PM EDT on Monday, March 17 (8:30 AM IST, March 18). The splashdown event will be closely monitored, given the mission’s high stakes and the scrutiny surrounding Boeing’s Starliner program.

Meanwhile, the newly arrived replacement crew will continue their assigned ISS operations, ensuring a smooth transition as Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov prepare for departure.