'Alien' spotted on board ISS as stranded astronauts prepare for return to Earth

Just before a SpaceX capsule docked with the International Space Station (ISS) so two astronauts who found themselves in space unexpectedly for nine months could prepare to return to Earth, an 'alien' was spotted on board on NASA's live feed.

On June 5 last year, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore left for the ISS as part of Crew-9 and were supposed to be there for an eight-day mission.

But the spacecraft that took them encountered problems, so much so that it was unsafe for them to return and the spacecraft came back down without them.

They were expected to return in September but that fell through because of a lack of an emergency pod for the other crews on board so they've been up there ever since.

To get them back down to Earth, a SpaceX capsule was launched on Friday (March 14) with four astronauts inside so they could take over from Williams and Wilmore.

But just before the capsule successfully docked with the ISS on Sunday (March 16), an 'alien' was spotted on an official live feed.

An 'alien' was spotted on board the ISS / Screenshot from NASA

Instead of it being extraterrestrial life though, Crew-9 commander Nick Hague decided to wear a grey alien mask as his crew waited for the arrival of Crew-10 to take over from them.

Hague was seen floating and darting around inside the ISS in a black hoodie and his mask, much to the amusement of many on social media.

Crew-9 commander Nick Hague was seen on NASA's live feed wearing an alien mask / Screenshot from NASA

He kept the mask on as the SpaceX capsule successfully docked. Crew-10 could be seen on board the ISS while Crew-9 members embraced them.

Williams and Wilmore could be back on Earth as soon as Wednesday (March 19).

The crews seen together in space shortly after the SpaceX capsule successfully docked / Screenshot from NASA

Elsewhere, scientists have discovered the source of mysterious radio signals from space and 128 new moons have been found orbiting Saturn.

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