The stranded Boeing astronauts are now on their way home thanks to SpaceX

[Legend]

An 8 day trip turned into over a 9 month trip. Hard to know what both of the astronauts felt. More time in space is more time living the dream, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Even the 8 day trip was too much for the original astronaut that was to be on this mission. He dropped out, saying he didn't want to miss his daughter's wedding.

And of course it's very funny/frustrating with the clueless media having no clue how any of this works. The astronauts were stranded in space, but they have not been stranded since September. That is when the SpaceX dragon went up with two empty seats. From that time on, it has been a perfectly regular mission. Not the mission they signed up for, but still. 100% by the book. The astronauts were not in any danger at this time.

Pre the dragon arrival, they were in danger. The official plan was that in an emergency they'd lie down on the floor of the fully occupied dragon and act like cargo. Safer than dying in an ISS explosion, but still not that safe.



Splashdown is in a few hours.

[Legend]

Dolphins! Playing around the capsule

The unplanned welcome crew!

Crew-9 had some surprise visitors after splashing down this afternoon.🐬 pic.twitter.com/yuOxtTsSLV

— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) March 18, 2025