SpaceX Mission Duration Calculator

Explore launch, booster landing and spacecraft return times using published mission records.

Mission inputs

Booster ≠ spacecraft

Falcon 9 first stage

Returns soon after separation (landing on land or a drone ship).

Dragon spacecraft

Returns after the mission with crew or cargo (splashdown at sea).

Each returns on its own timeline.

Mission results

Source: NASA mission record

Launch → splashdown171d 4h 40m

Return leg16h 52m

Mission statusCompleted

Illustrative Dragon spacecraft, Earth and ISS mission-phase montage — Illustrative phases · not a tracked trajectory

Launch28 Sep 2024
17:17 UTC

Undocking18 Mar 2025
05:05 UTC

Splashdown18 Mar 2025
21:57 UTC

Timeline not to scale

How was this calculated?

Total duration = splashdown − launch
18 Mar 2025 21:57 − 28 Sep 2024 17:17
= 171 days 4 hours 40 minutes

Return leg = splashdown − undocking
18 Mar 2025 21:57 − 18 Mar 2025 05:05
= 16 hours 52 minutes

UTC arithmetic · minute precision. Uses the timestamps shown for the selected mission record. This shows elapsed time only and does not imply how long crew were aboard the ISS.

NASA · Crew-9 launch and splashdown record NASA · Crew-9 undocking record

Frequently asked questions

Can it predict a return date?

Only published schedules or the duration you enter are used. This tool does not predict future launch or landing opportunities.

Why does the booster return first?

The first stage separates early and returns while the upper stage continues accelerating the spacecraft or payload.

What does mission duration include?

The interval between the selected start and end events. A Dragon flight, a booster recovery and a person’s time in space are different intervals.

Are launch schedules guaranteed?

No. Weather, technical readiness, orbital constraints and recovery operations can change launch and return schedules.

Understand the timeline

Falcon 9 booster

First stage separates a few minutes after liftoff and returns to land on a drone ship or at a landing zone.

Dragon spacecraft

Carries crew or cargo to the ISS and returns to Earth at the end of the mission (undocking → splashdown).

Starship

Flight test timelines include ascent, stage separation, suborbital or orbital flight, and return (when applicable).

Sources & calculation method

NASA · Crew-9 mission recordOfficial mission timeline, press releases and updates from NASA.https://www.nasa.gov

SpaceX · Mission timelinesMission information, updates and background from SpaceX.https://www.spacex.com

Independent tool. Source links do not imply endorsement. Curated records checked 25 October 2026; this page is not a live mission feed.

Mission inputs

Booster ≠ spacecraft

Falcon 9 first stage

Dragon spacecraft

Mission results

Sources & calculation method

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