The SpaceX Dragon Crew successfully splash landed just off the Florida coast
The stranded NASA astronauts have had a successful splash landing back down to Earth after nine long months stuck in space.
On March 18, the SpaceX Crew Dragon successfully returned NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams to Earth after a prolonged stay in orbit. What was meant to be a brief eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2024 turned into an unexpected extended journey.
Unfortunately, their Boeing Starliner Calypso encountered serious malfunctions, including helium leaks and a failure of its thrusters, rendering it unsafe for astronauts Williams and Wilmore to return to Earth. Despite several attempts to bring the veteran astronauts home, each effort was unsuccessful, forcing them to remain stranded aboard the ISS for nearly 300 days.
Progress toward bringing them home finally came on Friday when SpaceX Crew-10 replacements successfully arrived at the ISS, allowing Wilmore, Williams, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who had joined the mission in September, to begin their journey back to Earth. Then, on Tuesday, Crew-9 made a flawless splashdown at 5:57 PM EST off the Gulf Coast near Tallahassee, Florida. NASA celebrated the “smooth” success of the autonomous landing, with the “capsule full of grins” after completing the final phase of the mission.
There was a brief “blackout” with the crew as planned during their final descent and re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Aerial footage of the splash landing captured the Dragon spacecraft deploying its parachutes just before hitting the water.
Stationed nearby was the recovery vessel Megan, ready for the mission’s final phase. As the spacecraft touched down, a pod of curious dolphins appeared, drawn to the commotion in the water. Their playful presence added a touch of magic to the historic moment, which was live-streamed by NASA for the world to witness.
The recovery teams, using specialized equipment, quickly moved into action to retrieve the spacecraft. Part of the safety protocol involved jetting off the saltwater from the ocean to ensure the capsule’s readiness for transport. The scene was a remarkable blend of cutting-edge space technology and nature’s spontaneous greeting.
Once the team safely emerged from the side hatch and took their first breath of fresh air, they were promptly greeted by medics, following protocol for a post-landing consultation.
Commander Nick Hague was the first to exit, followed closely by cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Both were assisted into mobility aids but flashed smiles and waved to the waiting crew and cameras. Then, the moment we’d all been waiting for: Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams emerged, giving a thumbs-up to the cheering crowd.
Finally, Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore made his appearance, also in high spirits, signaling that the team had made it home safely.
Following their medical examinations, the astronauts were prepped for transport to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the heart of the agency’s spaceflight operations.
Before the landing, Hague had shared his thoughts: “Crew Nine is going home. On behalf of Crew Nine, it was a privilege to call space home… to live and work in cooperation for the benefit of humanity. To our colleagues and dear friends still aboard the station, we know the station is in great hands. We’re excited to see what you accomplish, and we’ll be waiting for you.”
