Video Captures Dolphins Swimming Around Capsule Holding NASA Astronauts After They Return To Earth
NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams have safely returned to Earth after spending an unexpected nine months in orbit. Their highly anticipated return aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Tuesday was nothing short of spectacular—and it wasn’t just the human welcome crew that made the moment special.
The Dragon capsule successfully splashed down at 5:57 p.m. EST off the Gulf Coast near Tallahassee, Florida, marking the end of their extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA’s live-streamed coverage captured a heartwarming sight: as the astronauts bobbed in the ocean awaiting recovery, a pod of dolphins appeared, seemingly welcoming them home.
An Unplanned—but Incredible—Welcome
Viewers tuning in to the broadcast quickly noticed the unexpected guests. At least six dolphins swam around the capsule, leaping out of the water as if putting on a show. Even NASA and SpaceX personnel couldn’t help but comment on the remarkable sight.
“Look at that—we’ve got dolphins wanting to play with Dragon,” remarked SpaceX webcast host Kate Tice. “Wow, we got a cute little pod of dolphins—it wasn’t just one or two.”
Sarah Walker, SpaceX’s Dragon mission director, echoed the sentiment during a post-landing press conference, calling the moment “really fun to see.”
NASA later referred to the playful marine mammals as the astronauts’ “unplanned welcome crew.”
A Mission That Took an Unexpected Turn
Wilmore and Williams originally set out for an eight-day mission in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner Calypso. However, a malfunction kept them on the ISS far longer than planned. Instead of a quick round trip, they became part of the station’s rotation crew for nearly 300 days, conducting scientific research while waiting for their replacements to arrive.
Their relief finally came when Crew-10 took over last week, allowing them to embark on their 17-hour journey back to Earth alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who had been stationed at the ISS since September.
A Joyous Return to Earth
As the hatch of the Dragon capsule opened, Hague was the first to exit, followed by Gorbunov, both beaming and waving as they were carried away on stretchers—a routine precaution after extended time in space. Williams, a veteran NASA astronaut and retired Navy officer, emerged next, flashing a thumbs-up, followed by Wilmore, who appeared just as cheerful.
The dolphin encounter only added to the celebratory atmosphere, with social media users calling it an “epic” and “perfect Earth welcome.”
“I couldn’t stop smiling!” one viewer wrote. “Absolutely picturesque.”
Another joked, “The dolphins totally stole the show!”
For astronauts who had been away from their home planet for nearly a year, it was a return like no other—one that will surely go down in history.
