WELCOME HOME: SpaceX Crew-9 Astronauts Return Safely to Earth After Mission
Adding to the scene, observers spotted dolphins swimming near the floating capsule while recovery teams prepared to retrieve it.
Four astronauts from the SpaceX Crew-9 mission safely returned to Earth, splashing down off the coast of Florida after months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon Freedom spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Nicholas Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Sunita Williams, along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Grebenkin, landed in the Atlantic Ocean before being lifted onto a recovery vessel.
Mission control confirmed the successful splashdown, welcoming the crew back to Earth.
"And splashdown. Crew 9 back on Earth. Nick, Aleksandr, Butch, and Suni, on behalf of SpaceX, welcome home," a mission controller announced.
Live footage showed the recovery team working to secure and lift the capsule onto the deck of the recovery vessel. NASA officials noted that this moment marked the astronauts' first breath of fresh air since launching for their mission last year. The crew was expected to undergo medical evaluations before being transported back to NASA facilities.
Adding to the scene, observers spotted dolphins swimming near the floating capsule while recovery teams prepared to retrieve it. SpaceX and NASA teams will now assess the condition of the Dragon Freedom spacecraft before preparing it for future missions.
Crew-9's return marks the latest in a series of successful commercial crew missions conducted by NASA and SpaceX, reinforcing their partnership in sustaining operations aboard the ISS and advancing space exploration efforts.