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But it wasn't just a grateful nation welcoming them home — they also received an unexpected visit from a pod of dolphins, which showed up to check out their splashdown.
Astronauts Sunita Williams, 59, of Needham, Massachusetts, and Butch Wilmore, 62, landed Tuesday evening, March 18, in the Atlantic Ocean near Florida. They were joined on the return trip by astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
It was a successful landing for the SpaceX Dragon capsule.
But soon after touching down, a pod of dolphins swam over — seemingly curious about the commotion — creating a viral moment on X, formerly Twitter.
Williams and Wilmore's time in space was riddled with setbacks on the ground, as multiple rescue missions were scrapped because of safety concerns.
Despite months of uncertainty, the duo remained composed. In interviews, they said they had trained extensively for every possible scenario and had full confidence in their colleagues to ensure their safe return.
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