NASA: Live – The Grand Return of the Two ‘Forgotten’ Astronauts

Earth is rolling out the red carpet to welcome back two of its own, who are finally returning after a months-long stay in space. NASA astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Suni Williams, initially scheduled for a 24-hour mission to the International Space Station (ISS), were unexpectedly kept there for at least nine months due to a serious malfunction. Now, Wilmore and Williams have departed from the ISS early Tuesday morning (18.03.2025) aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule named ‘Freedom,’ embarking on their much-anticipated journey home. Initially slated for a 10-day mission in summer 2024, the duo is traveling alongside American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbov, who arrived at the ISS on Sunday. The return operation, originally planned for February by SpaceX, was postponed to March. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump had requested the company ensure the astronauts returned as soon as possible.