NASA to Provide Live Coverage of Crew-9 Return and Splashdown
Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated on March 17, 2025, to include new NASA+ links for return coverage events. Additionally, changes have been made to the Return-to-Earth media conference, including updates to participant details and the RSVP deadline for media attending in-person at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA will provide live coverage of the SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). The broadcast will begin with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, March 17.
NASA and SpaceX met on Sunday to evaluate weather and splashdown conditions off the Florida coast. Mission managers have scheduled an earlier return opportunity for Crew-9 on Tuesday, March 18, due to favorable weather conditions. This decision ensures that the ISS crew members complete their handover duties while allowing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather later in the week.
The returning crew consists of:
- Nick Hague (NASA astronaut)
- Suni Williams (NASA astronaut)
- Butch Wilmore (NASA astronaut)
- Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos cosmonaut)
They will bring time-sensitive research back to Earth after their long-duration science expedition aboard the ISS.
Mission managers will continue to monitor weather conditions, as Dragon’s undocking depends on multiple factors, including:
- Spacecraft readiness
- Recovery team preparedness
- Weather and sea states
- Other operational concerns
NASA and SpaceX will confirm the specific splashdown location closer to the Crew-9 return.
📺 Watch Crew-9 Return Live
You can watch Crew-9 return activities live on NASA+. Learn how to access NASA content through multiple platforms, including social media.
🔗 For schedule updates and live streaming, visit:
➡️ NASA Live (opens in a new tab)
📅 Crew-9 Return Schedule (All Times in EDT)
Monday, March 17, 2025
- 10:45 p.m. – Hatch Closing Coverage Begins on NASA+
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
- 12:45 a.m. – Undocking Coverage Begins on NASA+
- 1:05 a.m. – Dragon Undocking
(Following undocking, NASA will switch to audio-only updates until deorbit burn coverage resumes.)
Pending weather conditions at the splashdown sites, continuous live coverage will resume on NASA+ before deorbit burn.
- 4:45 p.m. – Return Coverage Begins on NASA+
- 5:11 p.m. – Deorbit Burn (time is approximate)
- 5:57 p.m. – Splashdown (time is approximate)
📰 NASA Crew-9 Return-to-Earth Media Conference
📅 March 18, 2025 – 7:30 p.m. EDT
📡 Live on NASA+
🎤 Participants:
- Joel Montalbano – Deputy Associate Administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate
- Steve Stich – Manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
- Bill Spetch – Operations Integration Manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
- Sarah Walker – Director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
📢 Media Attendance Details:
- U.S.-based media wishing to attend in person must RSVP by 1 p.m. EDT on March 18 by contacting:
📧 jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov
📞 281-483-5111 - U.S. and international media seeking to participate via phone must RSVP by 3 p.m. EDT on March 18.
📌 For NASA’s media credentialing policy, visit:
➡️ NASA Media Credentialing (opens in a new tab)
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🔗 Visit: NASA Live (opens in a new tab) for the latest updates!
