Unexpected Reunion: Dolphins Welcome Astronauts Home After Extended Space Voyage
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Synopsis
Astronauts from <b>Crew-9</b>, including <b>Sunita Williams</b> and <b>Butch Wilmore</b>, returned to Earth after an extended nine-month mission in space, greeted by playful dolphins at splashdown.
Key Takeaways
- Dolphins greeted astronauts upon return
- Mission extended from eight days to nine months
- SpaceX’s Dragon capsule used for recovery
- Recovery included a 45-day rehabilitation program
- Technical issues delayed the Starliner mission
Florida, March 19 (NationPress) Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, alongside NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, have successfully returned to Earth following an extensive journey that transformed an intended eight-day mission into a remarkable nine-month stay in space.
The team, part of NASA/SpaceX’s Crew-9, was safely brought back by SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which made a smooth splashdown off the coast of Florida at 3:27 a.m.
During the recovery operation, the astronauts were greeted by a delightful and unexpected sight. Dolphins were seen swimming around the Dragon capsule as it was being hoisted from the ocean.
These playful marine creatures circled the spacecraft, creating an enchanting moment before the capsule was lifted onto the recovery vessel.
The recovery team cautiously opened the side hatch of the capsule, marking the first time it had been opened since September.
The astronauts, who had spent months in orbit, were assisted out of the capsule and transported to Houston for a 45-day rehabilitation program.
The return of Crew-9 faced numerous challenges. The mission, originally intended to be the inaugural crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner, was planned for just eight days. However, due to technical difficulties with the Starliner capsule, Williams and Wilmore found themselves stranded in space. Propulsion issues with the Starliner resulted in its return in September without any crew.
Confronted with uncertainty regarding their return, NASA reassigned the astronauts to SpaceX's Crew-9 mission.
In September, a Dragon spacecraft was dispatched by SpaceX to retrieve them, but it accommodated only two crew members this time around, as opposed to the usual four, to make room for the stranded astronauts.
The Dragon capsule was launched atop the Falcon 9 rocket for the mission. Crew-10 has since taken over from Crew-9 at the International Space Station.
