After an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have officially begun their journey back to Earth. Their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully undocked from the ISS at 1:05 am ET (5:05 am GMT) on March 18, marking the start of a 17-hour return trip.

Originally sent to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner for a short test mission in June last year, Williams and Wilmore remained stranded due to technical delays. Now, they are finally en route home, accompanied by fellow crew members Nicholas Hague (NASA) and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos).

Their capsule is set to splash down off the coast of Florida at approximately 5:57 pm EDT (3:27 am IST, March 19). NASA is providing real-time coverage of their return via a live stream. This marks a crucial moment for NASA and Boeing, as the astronauts’ return will conclude a prolonged mission filled with unexpected delays and challenges.