Nasa

SpaceX launched a crew of four private astronauts on a mission to orbit Earth over both poles.

The duo's eight-day mission became a nine-month space odyssey after their Boeing Starliner had technical problems.

The mission is going to launch in 2028 and is hoping to land in 2030.

Nasa commentators joked the aquatic mammals are an "honorary part of the recovery team" attending to the capsule.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have landed near Tallahassee, Florida after a 286-day mission at the International Space Station.