NASA astronauts splash down in SpaceX capsule

A capsule carrying U.S. astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday after a two-month voyage — NASA's first crewed mission from home soil in nine years.

The successful splashdown was also a final key test for Elon Musk's SpaceX and its new Crew Dragon spacecraft on whether it could transport astronauts to and from orbit — a feat no private company has accomplished before.

"On behalf of the SpaceX and NASA teams, welcome back to Planet Earth. Thanks for flying SpaceX."

Behnken and Hurley undocked from the International Space Station on Saturday and returned home to land in the waves off Florida's Pensacola coast on schedule.

Their homecoming was the first crewed splashdown in an American capsule in 45 years.

The landmark mission was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on May 31.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump said on Twitter, "Great to have NASA Astronauts return to Earth after very successful two month mission. Thank you to all!"