Perfect splashdown: Smiles, thumbs-up

Wilmore and Williams, both ex-Navy pilots and veterans of two prior space missions, flew to the orbital lab in June last year

- Agencies

Home at last: After an unexpected nine-month stay in space, a pair of NASA astronauts finally returned to Earth on Tuesday, concluding a mission that captured global attention and became a political flashpoint.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship carrying Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams—alongside fellow American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—streaked through the atmosphere before deploying parachutes for a gentle splashdown off the Florida coast at 5:57 pm (2157 GMT).

Ground teams erupted in cheers as the gumdrop-shaped spacecraft named Freedom bobbed steadily on the waves beneath a clear, sunny sky.

"What a ride—I see a capsule full of grins," said Hague.

As fast boats raced to the capsule for initial safety checks—an unlikely escort arrived in the form of a playful pod of dolphins.

Soon after, a larger recovery vessel hoisted Freedom aboard. Teams opened the hatch, and one by one, the astronauts were helped out onto mobility aids, waving and flashing thumbs-up signs.

Challenges astronauts face upon return