Alien Greets SpaceX Crew as Nasa Astronauts Await Earth Return
Surprise Welcome for Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore
Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stuck in space for nine months, got a surprise welcome on Sunday. A SpaceX crew member, dressed as an “alien”, greeted them upon docking at the International Space Station.
Video of the Encounter
- Footage shows Hague entering the hatch wearing an alien face mask.
- He floats towards Williams and Wilmore, who smile in response.
- Hague then gestures to something off-screen and moves away.
Crew Arrival
The crew arrived after leaving Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7.03 pm ET on Friday, March 14.
Reunion and Greetings
- Williams opened the hatch, and the ship’s bell rang as new crew members entered.
- They exchanged handshakes and hugs.
- The 11-person Expedition 72 crew gathered for a brief talk with mission control.
- Hague removed his alien mask during the talk.
Addressing Mission Control
Sunita Williams spoke to mission control after the greetings: “Houston, thanks for joining us this early morning. It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive. Thank you so much.”
Return Journey
Nasa astronaut Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, in space since last September, will join Wilmore and Williams on their return journey.
Crew Handover Period
Nasa mentioned that a “crew handover period” will happen over the next few days as astronauts prepare for their safe return.
Increase in Crew Size
- The number of crew members on the space station will increase to 11 people before Crew-9 members Hague, Williams, Wilmore, and Gorbunov return to Earth after the crew handover period.
Previous Costumes Worn by Nasa Astronauts
- In the past, Nasa astronauts have worn costumes such as Superman, Spiderman, a Minion, Darth Vader, Waldo, and the Mario brothers.
