This marked the final splashdown of a SpaceX Crew Dragon off the coast of Florida, with future landings set to take place off the coast of southern California. NASA Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were welcomed back after spending 278 extra days in space due to their original return vehicle being deemed unsafe. The crew members were safely recovered from the Dragon capsule and taken to the SpaceX flight surgeon for evaluation. The successful splashdown marked the end of their journey, with the spacecraft slowing down and re-entering the atmosphere before landing in the Gulf of America. The astronauts will now return to Houston, Texas, and the Johnson Space Center after completing their mission on the International Space Station. The Crew-9 mission splashdown was the last to occur off the coast of Florida, with future landings planned for southern California. Williams set records for female spacewalking and total days in space during her mission.
“Consider how well your mission is progressing, and if you’re fortunate, you may have the opportunity to extend your stay,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
NASA officials reassured that there were no significant concerns for the returning astronauts despite the unexpected prolongation of their mission.
“Just like any returning astronauts, there is a period of readjustment, which varies for each crew member and depends on the duration of their time in orbit,” explained Dina Contella, deputy manager of NASA’s ISS Program.
