NASA has announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have spent over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to technical failures in their Starliner spacecraft, will finally return to Earth early Wednesday morning.

Originally scheduled for a brief 10-day mission, the duo remained stranded after their Boeing Starliner capsule suffered propulsion malfunctions. Their long-awaited return will now take place aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which successfully docked with the ISS on Sunday. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will accompany them on the journey back.

The ocean landing is expected to take place off the Florida coast around 5:57 PM ET on Tuesday (2157 GMT, 3:27 AM IST on March 19). Initially planned for Wednesday, the return was rescheduled to avoid unfavorable weather conditions.

In a statement, NASA explained, “The revised return timeline ensures the space station crew can complete their handover duties while also optimizing landing conditions before the weather deteriorates later in the week.”

Although the SpaceX Crew Dragon’s arrival was part of a routine crew rotation, this particular mission carried added significance as it became the designated means of bringing Williams and Wilmore home after their prolonged stay.

As anticipation for their return grew, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared a video on Monday of the two astronauts expressing gratitude to him and former U.S. President Donald Trump for facilitating their return. In the short clip posted on social media platform X, Williams remarked, "We’ll be back before long, so don’t make any plans without me."

Wilmore also acknowledged Musk and Trump, stating, "We have immense respect for Mr. Musk and deep appreciation for President Donald Trump. Their efforts for human spaceflight and our nation are truly valued, and we’re grateful for their leadership."

Previously, Trump had criticized the Biden administration for the astronauts’ extended time in space, suggesting they had been "left behind." In an Oval Office address, he remarked, "We love you, and we’re coming to get you. This should never have happened. The most incompetent administration in history let this occur, but this president won’t allow it. We’re getting you out."

He also made a remark about Williams’ hair in zero gravity, saying, "And I see the woman with the wild hair—she’s got a strong head of hair, no question about that. But space has its dangers, and failures could be disastrous. We need to get them home, and I authorized Elon a week ago to do just that."

As Williams and Wilmore prepare for their long-overdue return, Trump has pledged to personally greet them upon their arrival, stating, "When they get back, I’ll be there to welcome them. How about that?"