SpaceX Brings Sunita and NASA's Crew-9 Home After 286 Days in Space: See What 0G Did to Their Bodies

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NASA's Crew-9 astronauts splashed down safely after spending 286 days in space—278 days longer than their originally planned 8-day mission.

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Technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft forced Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to extend their stay on the International Space Station until they could return via SpaceX's Dragon.

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A pod of dolphins surprised recovery teams by swimming around the SpaceX capsule as it floated in the Gulf of Mexico after splashdown.

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Without Earth's gravity, astronauts lose 1-1.5% of bone mineral density each month in space, with some not recovering fully even a year after returning to Earth.

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How do astronauts readjust to Earth after months in zero gravity?

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The crew conducted over 150 unique experiments during their extended mission, including research on plant growth and stem cell technology for treating blood diseases.

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Suni Williams now holds the record for most spacewalking time by a female astronaut with 62 hours and 6 minutes, placing her fourth on the all-time spacewalk duration list.

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When returning from extended missions, astronauts experience balance problems, dizziness, and muscle weakness as their bodies readapt to Earth's gravity.

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NASA's 45-day rehabilitation program helps astronauts rebuild strength through progressive exercises focusing first on basic mobility, then balance, and finally optimal physical performance.

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Williams and Wilmore traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth.

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This splashdown marked the final Dragon recovery on the East Coast before SpaceX moves all recovery operations to the West Coast.

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What's next for NASA's Commercial Crew Program after this unprecedented mission extension?

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