A SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) on Tuesday afternoon, marking the end of a months-long mission aboard the International Space Station. As rescue crews rushed to recover the ISS astronauts, a pod of dolphins arrived first, circling the spacecraft capsule in an unusual moment caught on camera.
The Crew-9 mission returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT (2157 GMT), landing off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida. A fleet of recovery boats quickly moved in to retrieve the Dragon capsule, “Freedom,” but the marine mammals appeared just as curious about the spacecraft’s arrival.
“Wow! We got a cute little pod of dolphins, not just one or two,” SpaceX engineer Kate Tice said during the live broadcast.
The landing ended a high-profile mission that included unexpected delays, crew adjustments, and political controversy.
Freedom carried NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, back to Earth.
Hague and Gorbunov launched aboard Freedom in September last year as part of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. Williams and Wilmore, however, arrived at the ISS earlier in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, making history as the first astronauts to fly on that spacecraft.
Did you see the dolphins greeting the astronauts? This was the coolest thing ever! pic.twitter.com/DtKY5m8crs
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Initially set for a 10-day stay, the Starliner mission was extended for months due to propulsion system issues. As technical problems mounted, NASA decided on Aug. 24, 2024, to return Starliner to Earth uncrewed, completing that mission on Sept. 7.
NASA had to adjust its flight plans to accommodate Williams and Wilmore on Freedom. Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, originally part of Crew-9, were removed to free up space. As a result, Hague and Gorbunov launched alone, making for an unusual two-person start to the mission.
The return of Williams and Wilmore gained attention outside the space community after President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk alleged that the Biden administration had “abandoned” the two astronauts in orbit. Musk further claimed the delay was politically motivated.
NASA’s decision to bring them home via Freedom had been in place since August 2023, contradicting those claims. The agency maintained that safety concerns over Starliner’s propulsion system, not political factors, drove the adjustments.
Crew-9’s splashdown also marked the final time a Dragon capsule will land in the Atlantic Ocean. Moving forward, SpaceX will conduct all Dragon recoveries on the West Coast. The shift aims to reduce risks associated with falling debris from reentering spacecraft, which could pose hazards to populated areas.
As SpaceX transitions operations, Crew-9’s return is a milestone in the commercial space industry and NASA’s evolving partnerships.
