NASA Astronauts Set to Return After 9-Month ISS Stay Due to Starliner Issues

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will splash down off Florida on March 18 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule after extended delays caused by Boeing Starliner malfunctions.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, originally on an eight-day mission, have spent over nine months aboard the ISS due to technical failures with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
The Starliner experienced helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, leading NASA to return the spacecraft uncrewed in September 2024 for safety reasons.
SpaceX's Crew-10 mission successfully docked at the ISS on March 16, 2025, enabling Wilmore and Williams to return to Earth alongside two other astronauts.
The astronauts will board a SpaceX Dragon capsule and are scheduled to splash down off the Florida coast on March 18, following a handover period with the incoming ISS crew.
The extended stay allowed Wilmore and Williams to contribute to ISS operations, including research, maintenance, and testing of Starliner systems, while awaiting a safe return option.