Crew-9 commander surprises new arrivals with extraterrestrial outfit

International Space Station: NASA astronaut Nick Hague donned a grey alien mask as he welcomed the newly arrived SpaceX crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday (March 16). Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the two U.S. astronauts stranded in space for nine months, shared a lighthearted moment with Hague as he floated into the hatch wearing the alien disguise.

In footage shared by ISS on X, Hague playfully pointed off-camera before moving away, while Williams and Wilmore looked on with smiles. The Crew-9 commander’s extraterrestrial outfit added a humorous touch as he awaited the arrival of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Pesko, who are set to replace Hague and his Crew-9 team.

Astronauts prepare for return journey

Notably, Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov have been aboard the ISS since last September and will join the stranded pair for their return flight to Earth. Williams, capturing photos of the moment, expressed her joy to mission control.

“Houston, thank you for tuning in this early morning. It was a wonderful day. Great to see our friends arrive. Thank you so much,” Williams said.

Social media reacts to the encounter

Hague’s playful antics did not go unnoticed by social media users, who were amused by the sight of an astronaut floating through the ISS wearing an alien mask.

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“What’s with the guy in the alien mask? Is no one else seeing that? Did I miss something here?” one user commented. Another added, “Amazing. Love the camaraderie and happy to see their sense of humor is intact! Safe journey back home.”

A third user quipped, “Why is no one commenting about the alien who was caught on camera?”

Williams and Wilmore’s long-awaited return

NASA announced on Sunday evening that the return of Williams and Wilmore had been rescheduled. Their anticipated ocean splashdown off the Florida coast is now set for approximately 5:57 p.m. EDT on Tuesday.

Williams and Wilmore originally traveled to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule on June 5 last year for what was meant to be an eight-day test mission. However, safety concerns with the Boeing capsule extended their stay to nine months—significantly longer than the usual six-month astronaut rotation aboard the ISS.

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