Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are preparing to touch back down on Earth as early as Tuesday.
The two have been on the International Space Station since June. Their mission was only scheduled to last one week after the launch of Boeing’s first astronaut flight, but they were stuck in space after issues forced NASA to bring the Boeing Starliner back empty.
Wilmore, Williams, Crew-9 Commander Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were originally scheduled to splash down off Florida’s coast on Wednesday. Now, due to unfavorable weather, NASA is targeting undocking from the space station at 1:05 a.m. ET Tuesday with splashdown just before 6 p.m. the same day.
“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,” NASA said in a statement.
‘ALIEN’ ENCOUNTER: ISS CREW MEMBER PLAYS JOKE AS SPACEX TEAM ARRIVES
This image made from video by NASA shows astronauts greeting each other after a SpaceX capsule docked with the International Space Station on Sunday, March 16, 2025. Top row from left: Nick Hague, Alexander Gorbunov, Suni Williams, Alexei Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Bottom row from left: Butch Wilmore, Takuya Onishi, Anne McClain, Kirill Peskov, Nichole Ayers and Don Pettit. (NASA)
A Crew-9 media conference is scheduled to take place at 7:30 p.m., after their return.
Early Sunday morning, Crew-10 arrived at the space station, bringing the total number of astronauts on board to 11.
Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner took the opportunity to welcome them while donning an alien mask in what a NASA spokesperson called a “lighthearted moment.”
NASA’S STUCK ASTRONAUTS WELCOME REPLACEMENTS WHO ARRIVED TO SPACE STATION ON SPACEX CAPSULE
Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner wears an alien mask in the port during the arrival of Crew-10 to the International Space Station on March 16, 2025. (NASA/SPACEX)
“It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive,” Williams told Mission Control.
The four new arrivals — NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov — are scheduled to stay on the station for roughly six months.
ELON MUSK’S SPACEX LAUNCHES CREW TO RESCUE STUCK NASA ASTRONAUTS FROM ISS
In this photo provided by NASA, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inspect safety hardware aboard the International Space Station on Aug. 9, 2024. (NASA)
The stuck astronauts have been doing scientific research and conducting routine maintenance.
Williams told reporters earlier this month that she was looking forward to returning home to see her family and two dogs.
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“It’s been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us,” she said.
Fox News’ Jonathan Serrie, Landon Mion and Reuters contributed to this report.