NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after their intended eight-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS) turned into a nine-and-a-half-month mission. Their SpaceX Dragon Freedom capsule splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, on March 18, 2025, at 5:57 p.m. EDT. Alongside them were NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The return took place under favorable weather conditions, with temperatures around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. As ground crews worked to retrieve the capsule, a pod of dolphins was seen swimming nearby.
The capsule was lifted from the water and placed on a recovery ship, where the astronauts were assisted out of the spacecraft. After spending over nine months in space, they took their first breath of fresh air upon stepping onto the ship. Williams and Wilmore had originally launched in June 2024 on Boeing’s Starliner for its first astronaut-crewed mission. However, due to issues with the Starliner, their one-week mission extended significantly, requiring an alternative return plan.
Early on March 18, 2025, the SpaceX Dragon Freedom undocked from the ISS autonomously at 1:05 a.m. EDT, beginning its 17-hour journey home. Before departing, Crew-9 and ISS astronauts exchanged farewells over the radio, with Dragon commander Nick Hague expressing appreciation for the international collaboration that allowed them to live and work in space. As Dragon maneuvered away, it performed a series of departure burns before heading toward Earth.
Before re-entry, the spacecraft executed a deorbit burn using its Draco thrusters to adjust its trajectory. As it entered Earth’s atmosphere, it endured extreme temperatures reaching 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit. A heat shield protected the crew, while atmospheric drag helped slow the capsule. Two sets of parachutes were deployed for a controlled descent. At approximately 18,000 feet, two drogue chutes slowed the vehicle from nearly 350 miles per hour. At 6,000 feet, four main parachutes deployed, further reducing the speed to 15 miles per hour before the capsule safely splashed down.
The astronauts’ return marks the conclusion of an extended mission that was originally intended to last just over a week. Their recovery process began immediately after landing, as they were assisted out of the capsule by support teams.
