Crew-9 Departs the ISS
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 1:05 a.m. EDT Tuesday. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft detached from the Harmony module’s space-facing port, beginning its journey back to Earth.
The @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying four #Crew9 members undocked from the station at 1:05am ET today and is headed for a splashdown off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of America at 5:57pm. More… https://t.co/eISgbf1ngL pic.twitter.com/kHSzIlrZhP
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) March 18, 2025
Live Coverage and Splashdown Details
NASA provides live audio coverage, including astronaut communications with mission control. Full coverage will resume at 4:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday as Dragon approaches its splashdown off Florida’s coast at 5:57 p.m. EDT. Recovery operations will follow immediately.
Williams and Wilmore’s Extended Stay
NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams remained on the ISS for nine months due to a faulty Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The duo originally planned a one-week mission but could not return after propulsion issues rendered Starliner unfit for flight.
Crew-9’s Journey Home
Wilmore and Williams join Hague and Gorbunov aboard Dragon for their return. The SpaceX capsule, which docked at the ISS on Sunday, now transports all four crew members back to Earth.
NASA’s Schedule Update
NASA moved forward the anticipated splashdown time to 5:57 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The spacecraft targets a landing zone off Florida, subject to weather conditions.
Mission Background
The extended mission highlights NASA’s reliance on commercial partners for spaceflight. SpaceX continues to support crewed missions, while Boeing addresses technical issues with Starliner’s propulsion system.
