NASA confirms Crew Dragon’s undocking from ISS
After an extended mission spanning 286 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are on their way back to Earth. NASA confirmed on Tuesday that SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft carrying the Crew-9 members successfully undocked from the ISS at 1:05 am ET, marking the beginning of their 17-hour journey home.
“They are on their way,” NASA announced on social media platform X, sharing a video of the spacecraft’s departure. Accompanying Williams and Wilmore on their return trip are fellow astronauts Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
When will Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore land?
According to NASA’s official schedule, the Crew-9 capsule is expected to splash down off Florida’s coast at 5:57 pm ET on Tuesday. The team will remain in transit for approximately 17 hours as they prepare for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Where to watch it live?
NASA will provide live coverage of the event starting at 10:45 PM EST on Monday. Viewers can watch the hatch closure preparations and follow real-time developments across multiple platforms, including NASA TV, NASA+, and the agency’s official YouTube channel. Updates will also be available on NASA’s website and X account.
The journey home: What happens after landing?
Williams and Wilmore have had an eventful mission, completing over 4,500 orbits around Earth and traveling more than 121 million statute miles. Their return was originally scheduled for March 16, but delays arose due to a technical malfunction with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, extending their stay at the ISS from an initial eight-day mission to nine months.
Following their landing, the astronauts will undergo a 45-day post-mission rehabilitation program designed to help them recover from the physical effects of prolonged spaceflight. NASA has indicated that full recovery may take longer, given the extended duration of their mission.
As one of the most experienced astronauts in NASA’s history, Williams has spent a significant portion of her career in space. Speaking ahead of her return, she shared reflections on her time aboard the ISS, emphasizing the invaluable scientific research conducted during the mission and the camaraderie developed with her fellow crew members.
With their return marking the conclusion of another successful mission, the space agency now looks ahead to the next steps in its ongoing exploration endeavors, including future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.