Dolphins Greet SpaceX Crew-9 After Nine-Month Mission

Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Aleksandr Gorbunov returned to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon after a nine-month mission that was initially planned for eight days. Their return, which took place off the Florida coast, was notably marked by a playful greeting from a pod of dolphins that circled the capsule during recovery operations. The delay in their return was due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner, which left Williams and Wilmore stranded aboard the International Space Station. NASA reassigned them to SpaceX's Crew-9 mission for their eventual homecoming. The Crew Dragon capsule successfully splashed down and the astronauts were transported to Houston for rehabilitation after their extended time in space. This unique splashdown event and the dolphins' curious presence captivated viewers online, highlighting a remarkable end to their extended journey.