NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have captured international attention as the so-called “stranded astronauts.” Even though their mission is not the longest spaceflight in history, the significant media focus has certainly created that impression.
Their predicament became particularly prominent due to their affiliation with Boeing, the aerospace company facing challenges in the development of the Starliner spacecraft. The two experienced astronauts launched aboard Starliner to the International Space Station (ISS) last summer, initially planned for an eight-day mission. However, they have now been in space for nine months because of unforeseen delays.
When they reached the ISS in June, Starliner experienced propulsion problems. Consequently, NASA made the decision to return the spacecraft to Earth without a crew and organized for a different capsule to transport Wilmore and Williams home. During this period, the astronauts joined Crew-9 to assist with operations on the station. Fortunately, Starliner’s uncrewed return to Earth went off without a hitch.
Now, their much-anticipated return is near. NASA has made a slight adjustment to the schedule to bypass poor weather anticipated later in the week.
### How to Watch the Astronauts’ Return
Wilmore and Williams will be returning via a SpaceX Dragon capsule, which is scheduled to undock from the ISS at **1:05 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 18**. Their **splashdown is projected for approximately 5:57 p.m. ET the same day**.
NASA will offer **live coverage** of the entire procedure, including hatch closing, undocking, and reentry. The broadcast timing is as follows:
– **Hatch closing coverage commences at 10:45 p.m. ET on March 17**
– **Undocking coverage kicks off at 12:45 a.m. ET on March 18**
– **Reentry and landing coverage resumes at 4:45 p.m. ET on March 18**
### A Delayed Journey, But Not the Longest
While nine months is indeed a lengthy period, it is not the longest any astronaut has spent in space. In 2023, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio encountered a similar situation when a **minor but concerning leak** was identified in the Russian Soyuz capsule that was supposed to bring him back. As a precautionary measure, NASA and Roscosmos arranged for an alternate return, extending Rubio’s mission to **371 consecutive days**—the longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut.
The record for the longest uninterrupted spaceflight is still held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who orbited for **437 days**. Nonetheless, Rubio eclipsed the prior U.S. record of **355 days**, established by astronaut Mark Vande Hei in 2022.
### Were the Astronauts Truly “Stranded”?
In spite of numerous references labeling Wilmore and Williams as **”stuck”** or **”stranded,”** including statements from SpaceX founder Elon Musk, their return capsule has been docked at the ISS since September 2024. This implies that in case of an emergency, they could have evacuated and returned to Earth whenever necessary.
Nevertheless, misinformation and political narratives have shaped public opinions. Musk, who has become a prominent advisor to former President Donald Trump, **asserted in January** that SpaceX sought to expedite the return of the astronauts but faced delays from the Biden administration. Trump later reiterated these claims.
### A Team Effort
Although Wilmore and Williams have garnered substantial attention, they are not returning solo. Their crewmates, **NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov**, will also join them aboard the Dragon capsule.
Rather than being abandoned in space, Wilmore and Williams stayed on the ISS to maintain full staffing until Crew-10’s arrival. Their replacements—**Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov**—successfully **docked at the station on March 16**, enabling Crew-9 to finally head home.