Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's extended stay in space is coming to an end—landing date confirmed. Check out the details

After an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are finally preparing to return to Earth. The two astronauts, who initially embarked on a 10-day mission aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule, faced multiple technical setbacks that left them stranded in orbit. As per media reports, NASA has now confirmed their long-awaited return date—March 16.
Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5, 2023, as part of a crewed flight test for Boeing’s Starliner. However, what was meant to be a short demonstration mission soon turned into an indefinite stay on the ISS due to persistent technical failures in their spacecraft. Starliner, unable to safely bring the astronauts home, was ultimately sent back to Earth without a crew in September 2023.

To facilitate their return, NASA made alternate arrangements. In September, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov launched aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as part of the Crew-9 mission. Their spacecraft included two reserved seats for Williams and Wilmore. Originally set to return in February, NASA officials confirmed on Friday that all four astronauts will now return together on March 16.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the launch of SpaceX Crew-10, which will carry four astronauts to the ISS on March 12. This mission, crucial for ensuring a smooth transition on the station, will allow Crew-9 to return home. As per reports, Crew-10 consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), alongside JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.
Initially, Crew-10 was scheduled to fly aboard a newly built SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. However, due to manufacturing delays, NASA opted to use the flight-proven Dragon capsule Endurance, which has already transported three NASA crews to and from the ISS.
During a press briefing, NASA’s ISS program manager Dana Weigel explained that since Crew-9 is launching with only two astronauts, it made sense to assign Williams and Wilmore to the long-duration mission


According to NASA, Crew-10’s launch is scheduled for 7:48 p.m. EDT on March 12. The Endurance spacecraft is expected to reach the ISS about 14 hours later, docking at around 10 a.m. EDT on March 13. Typically, incoming and outgoing crews overlap for about a week to allow for a smooth transition. However, due to scheduling constraints, Crew-10 will have only three days before Crew-9 departs with Williams and Wilmore.

As Crew-10 prepares for arrival, the transition between ISS expeditions has also begun. On Friday, Williams, the current ISS commander, officially handed over leadership to cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. However, Ovchinin will hold the role only briefly before Onishi takes command following Crew-10’s arrival.


With their return now firmly scheduled, Williams and Wilmore are in the final days of their extended mission. As per NASA officials, their journey back to Earth will be aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom, which will undock on March 16.
Despite the challenges, NASA officials praised the astronauts for their resilience and adaptability. "It takes a full crew to continuously operate the space station, both for science and maintenance, and that is the work that we’re looking forward to continuing," said Crew-10 commander Anne McClain during a press briefing.