After a nine-month space ordeal, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore splash down off the Florida coast, welcomed by dolphins during capsule recovery.
Florida, USA – March 19, 2025:
Astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have safely returned to Earth after their scheduled eight-day space mission turned into a nine-month ordeal. The NASA/SpaceX Crew-9, which included NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast at 3:27 am IST aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
There are a bunch of dolphins swimming around SpaceX's Dragon capsule. They want to say hi to the Astronauts too! lol pic.twitter.com/sE9bVhgIi1
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) March 18, 2025
Also Read: Jhulasan Celebrates Sunita Williams’ Return: “A Proud Moment for India”
However, what made their homecoming even more special was the unexpected welcome from a pod of dolphins, seen swimming around the capsule as recovery teams worked to retrieve it.
A Welcome Like No Other:
As the recovery vessel approached, video footage captured dolphins playfully circling the spacecraft, seemingly greeting the returning astronauts. Once the capsule was secured, the side hatch was opened for the first time since September, marking the official end of the crew’s extended stay in space.
Also Read: Sunita Williams to Visit India Soon, PM Modi Extends Personal Invitation
Nine-Month Space Struggle:
- Mission Overview: Originally an eight-day mission, Crew-9’s journey stretched to nine months after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft suffered propulsion issues. The Starliner returned to Earth uncrewed, leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
- NASA’s Solution: Amid uncertainty, NASA reassigned them to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, sending a Dragon spacecraft in September with a reduced two-member relief team instead of the usual four to accommodate the stranded astronauts.
Next Steps:
- Post-Landing Rehabilitation: Williams and the Crew-9 team have been flown to Houston for a 45-day rehabilitation program to counteract the effects of prolonged space exposure, including muscle loss and bone density reduction.
- Crew-10 Now in Orbit: With Crew-9’s return, Crew-10 has taken over operations at the ISS.
Sunita Williams, known for her resilience and determination, has now spent over 500 days in space across multiple missions, solidifying her status as one of NASA’s most experienced astronauts.
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#SunitaWilliams, #SpaceX, #NASA, #SpaceExploration, #Crew9, #ElonMusk, #DragonCapsule, #AstronautLife, #BoeingStarliner, #DolphinWelcome