
Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore to return to Earth on March 18: NASA
The Hindu
A pair of U.S. astronauts stuck for more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) will be returned to Earth on Tuesday (March 18, 2025) evening, NASA said.
A pair of U.S. astronauts stuck for more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) will be returned to Earth on Tuesday (March 18, 2025) evening, NASA said.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are to be transported home with another American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, which arrived at the ISS early on Sunday.
The stranded duo have been on the ISS since June after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they were testing on its maiden crewed voyage suffered propulsion issues and was deemed unfit to fly them back to Earth.
NASA said in a statement on Sunday evening that it had moved forward the astronauts’ anticipated ocean splashdown off the Florida coast to approximately 5.57 p.m. Tuesday (2157 GMT). 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 favorable weather conditions expected for later in the week,” the space agency said.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also return on the Dragon capsule, with the journey to be broadcast live from Monday evening when hatch closure preparations begin.
Also read | Sunita Williams steps out on spacewalk after seven months in orbit

Following protests by residents of Mittaganahalli and Kannur villages over dumping the city’s waste in the Mittaganahalli quarry pit, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will soon issue tenders and work orders and begin work on rural development projects worth ₹500 crore in these areas, Chief Civic Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath said on Monday.

Director General of Police (DGP) K. Ramachandra Rao, stepfather of Ranya Rao who was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for trying to smuggle 14.2 kg of gold, was questioned by the State government-appointed inquiry committee led by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta on Monday evening.