NASA Confirms Crew-9 Reentry: Live Stream, Schedule & Details

NASA has confirmed the return of Crew-9 astronauts, originally set for a short mission but extended to nine months. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with crew members Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are scheduled to return to Earth on March 18. Live coverage will be provided by NASA across multiple platforms.

NASA and SpaceX assessed weather conditions on March 16 to finalize the return timeline. Favorable forecasts allowed mission teams to target an earlier return before unstable conditions develop later in the week. The Crew Dragon spacecraft will conduct a controlled reentry and splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida’s coast. Mission managers will continue to monitor sea conditions before confirming the final splashdown site.

Live Coverage Schedule

NASA+ and social media channels will stream Crew-9’s return in real-time. The schedule (Eastern Time) is as follows:

- March 17, 10:45 p.m. – Hatch closure coverage begins

- March 18, 12:45 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins

- March 18, 1:05 a.m. – Crew Dragon undocking

- March 18, 4:45 p.m. – Full return coverage resumes

- March 18, 5:11 p.m. – Deorbit burn (approximate)

- March 18, 5:57 p.m. – Splashdown (approximate)

Following the landing, a media briefing is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. featuring NASA’s Joel Montalbano, Steve Stich, and Jeff Arend, alongside SpaceX’s Sarah Walker.

Crew-9 has conducted long-duration research aboard the space station, completing various scientific experiments. The astronauts will return critical research samples for further analysis on Earth. Before departure, they are completing handover procedures for Crew-10, ensuring a smooth transition for continued operations aboard the station.

Mission teams are conducting final spacecraft readiness checks, ensuring all systems function optimally before deorbit procedures begin. The exact splashdown site will be confirmed based on real-time weather and ocean conditions.

For real-time updates, NASA encourages viewers to follow live broadcasts and official social media channels.