Story continues after Advertisements

Four astronauts, including two NASA veterans whose planned week-long mission turned into a nine-month odyssey, splashed down safely off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, on Tuesday evening, marking the successful conclusion of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The crew, aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft named Freedom, touched down in the Gulf of America at 5:57 p.m. EDT, ending a long-duration science expedition aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The returning crew comprised NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Williams and Wilmore, originally launched in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule for its first crewed test flight, faced an unexpected extension of their stay due to propulsion issues with their spacecraft. NASA opted to return the Starliner uncrewed in September, integrating Williams and Wilmore into the ISS crew until the Crew-9 mission could bring them home. Hague and Gorbunov, who launched with Crew-9 in September 2024, completed their scheduled 6-month mission crew rotation, making room for the Starliner duo’s return.

SpaceX to the Rescue!

This mission has political significance. SpaceX founder Elon Musk and President Donald Trump framed the astronauts’ return as a triumph of their influence, with Trump stating he told NASA to expedite the schedule to bring back “the astronauts stranded in space.”

SpaceX is currently the only American aerospace company with the capability to safely transport humans to and from the Space Station. Without SpaceX, NASA would depend on Russia for astronaut transportation. The United States was transporting American astronauts on Russian rockets for almost 10 years until May 2020, when SpaceX used the Crew Dragon spacecraft to finally launch NASA astronauts from U.S. soil.

Elon Musk speaks after his SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returned two stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to Earth after spending over 9 months at the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/emSgFDlKwq

— America (@america) March 19, 2025

Dragon Freedom undocked from the ISS’s Harmony module at 1:05 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 18, embarking on a 17-hour journey back to Earth. As it reentered the atmosphere, the spacecraft slowed from an orbital speed of 17,000 miles per hour (mph) to a gentle 17 mph, deploying parachutes for a smooth splashdown on what NASA described as a “calm, glasslike ocean.” Recovery teams aboard SpaceX vessels swiftly retrieved the capsule and assisted the astronauts, who emerged smiling and giving thumbs-up gestures despite the physical toll of their extended time in microgravity.

PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months.

Today, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to @ElonMusk, @SpaceX, and @NASA! pic.twitter.com/r01hVWAC8S

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 18, 2025

“It’s awesome to have Crew-9 home,” said Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, during a post-splashdown press conference. “SpaceX has been an incredible partner, and this mission showcases the strength of our public-private collaboration.”

For Williams and Wilmore, the return caps a dramatic chapter that saw their initial plan of an 8-day mission turn into 288 days in orbit when Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft encountered issues and inhibited their return. Williams, now with a career total of 608 days in space, ranks second among U.S. astronauts for time off-planet, trailing only Peggy Whitson. Wilmore logs 464 days across his missions. Both astronauts downplayed the ordeal, with Wilmore noting, “It’s part of the job,” while Williams expressed gratitude for the chance to contribute to ISS research, including spacewalks and experiments on circadian rhythms and microbial survival in space.

Hague, the Crew-9 commander, reflected on the mission’s global teamwork, saying, “It was a privilege to call the station home and work with a team that spans the globe for the benefit of humanity.” Gorbunov, representing Russia’s space agency, underscored the ongoing U.S.-Russia partnership in space despite terrestrial tensions.

After medical checks in Florida, the Crew-9 astronauts will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for a brief stay before reuniting with their families. Their return highlights SpaceX’s pivotal role in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, contrasting with Boeing’s ongoing Starliner development challenges. As NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro noted, “This mission proves we can adapt and succeed, delivering vital science and resilience in space exploration.”

The Freedom spacecraft, now on its fourth flight, will head to SpaceX’s Florida facility for inspection, preparing for its next mission as the era of commercial spaceflight continues to evolve. No doubt that SpaceX is a leader in the space industry, proving its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft reliability.

Tune in for a splashdown!@NASA_Astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are returning to Earth in their @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. #Crew9 splashdown is targeted for 5:57pm ET (2157 UTC). https://t.co/Yuat1FqZxw

— NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025

❤️🚀🚀❤️
pic.twitter.com/aAkJRKsu1Q

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 16, 2025

Author’s Note: My objective is to keep the public informed about local SpaceX Starbase Texas operations and interesting NASA missions through the educational stories I write. Consider Subscribing for $5 on 𝕏 to Support my work at Cosmic Chronicles. Visit: X.com/JaneidyEve to Subscribe. THANK YOU!