SpaceX capsule Crew Dragon, the first commercial mission to the International Space Station, returned safely to Earth on Sunday, August 2, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico on Florida's Gulf coast.
A recovery ship GO Navigator picked the spacecraft, carrying National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, out of the ocean where it parachuted down, and nestled it in an onboard dock, nicknamed the 'Dragon's Nest'.
The Crew Dragon opened its hatch and the astronauts, who had spent more than 60 days in space, were brought out of the spacecraft.
'"To anybody who has touched Endeavour, you should take a moment to just cherish this day." Touching words from @Astro_Doug as @AstroBehnken is safely brought out of the spacecraft. #LaunchAmerica,' NASA said in a tweet.
United States President Donald J Trump welcomed the astronauts tweeting, ' Great to have NASA Astronauts return to Earth after very successful two-month mission. Thank you to all!'
'Thanks for flying @SpaceX. Current Location: Planet Earth. A 2:48pm ET, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug splashed down, marking the first splashdown of an American crew spacecraft in 45 years. #LaunchAmerica,' NASA tweeted.
The last water landing by NASA took place in July 1975.
The astronauts were examined by medical staff before being flown to shore in a helicopter.
Hurley and Behnken arrived at the orbiting laboratory in the Crew Dragon May 31 following a launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30.
The SpaceX mission could be the first step towards more people going to space as early as September.
