‘Respect & Admiration’ Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Praise Elon Musk & Trump as NASA Announces Return Date

After spending over nine months stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has officially confirmed that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth on Tuesday evening. The duo expressed their deep appreciation for SpaceX founder Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump, acknowledging their contributions to human spaceflight and their role in facilitating their long-awaited return.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Express Gratitude to Elon Musk and Donald Trump

Elon Musk shared a video on social media featuring Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore speaking about their return. In the video, Wilmore openly praised Musk and Trump, stating, “All of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk and, obviously, admiration for our President Donald Trump.” He further added, “We appreciate them, we appreciate all that they do for us, for human spaceflight, and for our nation.”

Watch Here:

❤️🚀🚀❤️
pic.twitter.com/aAkJRKsu1Q

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 16, 2025

Their words have sparked widespread discussions online. Supporters hailed Musk and Trump for their contributions, while some took the opportunity to criticize the current US administration. One user commented, “This is the most underreported event I can remember. Two NASA astronauts stuck in space, SpaceX offered to bring them home, and the Biden administration made them wait until after the election.” Another wrote, “Thank you, Elon, and the SpaceX team for sending Falcon 9 and Crew-10 to rescue the astronauts! You all are incredible!”

NASA and SpaceX Collaborate for a Safe Return

NASA, in collaboration with SpaceX, has scheduled the astronauts’ return aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The spacecraft, which arrived at the ISS early Sunday, will transport Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

NASA confirmed that the return is now scheduled for a splashdown off the Florida coast at 5:57 p.m. (21:57 GMT) on Tuesday. Initially, the return was expected no sooner than Wednesday, but NASA moved up the timeline due to weather conditions. The agency also announced that live coverage of the return, including Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations, will begin at 10:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, March 17 (8:30 a.m. IST on March 18).

Why Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore’s Stay Was Extended

The two astronauts were originally meant to return shortly after their mission began in June last year. However, their spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner, suffered propulsion issues, rendering it unfit for their return journey. As a result, they remained aboard the ISS much longer than expected, awaiting an alternative transport option.

While their stay was significantly prolonged, it was not the longest for a NASA astronaut. The US record remains 371 days, set by astronaut Frank Rubio in 2023. The world record, held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, stands at 437 days aboard the Mir space station.