NASA and SpaceX Prepare for Crew-9 Astronauts’ Splashdown Tuesday

HOUSTON, Texas — NASA is poised to provide live coverage of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission’s return to Earth from the International Space Station, starting Monday, March 17, with preparation for the Dragon spacecraft’s hatch closure at 10:45 p.m. EDT. The mission includes NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, alongside Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, all returning after a long-duration science expedition.

Originally scheduled for March 19, Crew-9’s return has been moved up to Tuesday, March 18, due to favorable weather conditions expected along Florida’s coast. NASA and SpaceX officials assessed the weather on Sunday, affirming that the crew would safely splash down after a total of 286 days aboard the ISS. This date marks a significant achievement in ensuring the astronauts can complete essential scientific handover duties before returning.

“Our mission managers are closely monitoring the weather in the recovery area, which is vital for a successful undocking and splashdown. The safety of the astronauts is our highest priority,” said a NASA spokesperson.

The Crew-9 mission has been notable not only for its duration but also for the challenges encountered previously with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was intended to return the astronauts. Due to technical malfunctions during its earlier mission, Wilmore and Williams have now exceeded their expected time in space considerably.

NASA’s Dragon capsule is anticipated to undock from the ISS at approximately 1:05 a.m. EDT, marking the beginning of its return journey. Continuous coverage will be available as the spacecraft reenters the atmosphere, with splashdown scheduled for around 5:57 p.m. EDT. The mission’s return is part of NASA’s broader efforts to maintain crew rotation aboard the ISS and ensure ongoing scientific research.

“This milestone demonstrates NASA’s ongoing commitment to collaboration with commercial partners, further enhancing our capabilities in space exploration,” stated Janet Petro, NASA’s acting administrator. “We are preparing for the future of human spaceflight as we gather crucial data from the missions.”

The planned return could attract significant media attention, with NASA providing opportunities for both in-person and telephonic participation during the subsequent media conference at 7:30 p.m. EDT on the same day.

As media outlets have portrayed the mission’s duration in a manner suggesting the astronauts were “stranded” in space, NASA maintains that the mission was a critical part of the planned Crew-9 rotation and has provided essential insights into long-duration human spaceflight.

For those who would like to watch the events unfold, live coverage of the hatch closure, undocking, and splashdown will be available on NASA’s social media and official websites.