SpaceX Capsule Arrives to Bring Sunita Williams Back to Earth After Nine Months

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on March 16, 2025, as part of NASA's Crew-10...

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on March 16, 2025, as part of NASA's Crew-10 mission. This mission will facilitate the return of NASA astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams and her colleague Barry "Butch" Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the ISS for over nine months due to technical delays with their original return vehicle, Boeing's Starliner capsule.

After months of uncertainty, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore will board the Crew Dragon capsule for their journey back to Earth. The expected timeline for their return is as follows:

March 19, 2025 – Williams and Wilmore, along with NASA's Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will depart the ISS aboard the Crew Dragon.

Reentry & Landing – The capsule will undergo a controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere, where it will deploy parachutes to slow down before making a safe splashdown in the ocean. Recovery teams will then retrieve the astronauts and transport them back to NASA facilities for medical checkups and debriefing.

Williams and Wilmore originally launched aboard Boeing's Starliner in June 2024, marking its first crewed test flight. However, due to technical malfunctions, including issues with the propulsion system, NASA and Boeing postponed their return multiple times. As a result, Williams and Wilmore had to extend their stay on the ISS, continuing scientific experiments and station maintenance.

SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission was launched to bring relief, carrying four new astronauts to the ISS and ensuring a safe return for Williams and Wilmore.

The Crew-10 mission carried four new astronauts to the ISS, who will replace Williams and Wilmore for the next six months:

- Anne McClain (NASA)

- Nichole Ayers (NASA)

- Takuya Onishi (Japan’s JAXA)

- Kirill Peskov (Russia’s Roscosmos)

The newly arrived crew will conduct scientific research, station maintenance, and technology demonstrations as part of their mission.

Despite the extended stay, Williams remained positive and continued her duties aboard the ISS. She expressed excitement about reuniting with her family and pets after such a long period in space.

In a recent communication, she said:

"It’s been an incredible journey, but I’m looking forward to stepping back on Earth, feeling gravity again, and hugging my loved ones."