Astronauts stranded on ISS for 9 months to return to Earth on Tuesday, says Nasa [VIDEO]

Two astronauts stranded for more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) will return to Earth on Tuesday evening.

Nasa said Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams are to be transported home with another American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft.

The spacecraft arrived at the ISS early on Sunday.

Astronauts stranded

The duo have been on the ISS since June after they took off on what was supposed to be an eight-day mission.

However, the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they were aboard experienced problems on its way to the ISS, including leaks of helium, which pushed fuel into the propulsion system. Several thrusters also did not work properly.

The Boeing Starliner was then deemed unfit to fly them back to Earth.

Crew 10 Dragon vehicle arriving! pic.twitter.com/3EZZyZW18b

— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) March 16, 2025

ALSO READ: Astronauts stranded on ISS will only return to Earth in February 2025

Splashdown conditions

Nasa and SpaceX met on Sunday to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida’s coast for the return of the agency’s Crew-9 mission from the ISS.

The space agency said it had moved the astronauts’ anticipated ocean splashdown off the Florida coast forward to approximately 5:57pm on Tuesday (21:57 GMT) due to the favourable conditions forecast. It was initially slated for no sooner than Wednesday.

“The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favourable weather conditions expected for later in the week.

“Nasa astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are completing a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory and will return time-sensitive research to Earth,” Nasa said.

Nasa said mission managers will continue monitoring weather conditions in the area, as Dragon’s undocking depends on various factors, including spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states and other factors.

“Nasa and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return.”

World record  

While the voyage back home will mark the end of an ordeal that has seen them stuck for nine months, it is much shorter than the US space record of 371 days set by Nasa astronaut Frank Rubio aboard the ISS in 2023.

However, their prolonged stay had an impact. Although they had only packed for an eight-day mission, they spent nine months away from their families.

The world record is held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 continuous days aboard the Mir space station.

NOW READ: WATCH: NASA names astronauts to next Moon mission under Artemis