#SpaceX crew returns to Earth today, set to splashdown in Gulf

A two-man crew traveling in a SpaceX capsule are set to splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico today after a two-month mission at the International Space Station — the first NASA water landing since 1975.

Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley began their descent inside the Dragon Endeavour space capsule on Saturday evening, when the craft detached from the station, CNN reported Sunday.

Behnken and Hurley, both NASA astronauts recruited for the public-private space mission, are scheduled to hit the water at 2:48 p.m., with the presence of Tropical Storm Isaias in the region adding to the drama.

SpaceX was the first ever commercial space mission and the first US launch into space since the last shuttle in 2011.

The mission also employed the first reusable rocket, with the Falcon 9 making a landing on a floating landing pad after detaching from the capsule after takeoff in May.

The new-look space jaunt also had a sleeker look and was a serious shout-out to sci-fi fans. The rocket is named after the “Millennium Falcon” from the Star Wars franchise and the astronauts’ suits look more like something out of “2001: A Space Odyssey” than traditional space suits.