UNDERNEATH THE PARACHUTES.
BUT THIS TIME INTO THE GULF OF
MEXICO.
SPLASHDOWN IN THE GULF OF
MEXICO.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 45 YEARS,
AN AMERICAN SPACECRAFT PARACHUTE PARACHUTING BACK TO EARTH.
PARACHUTING BACK TO EARTH.
THE ASTRONAUTS BOB BEHNKEN AND
DOUG HURLEY RETURNING FROM THE
SPACE CENTER.
THE FIRST CRUDE LAUNCH FROM
AMERICAN SOIL IN NEARLY A
DECADE.
>> SOFT CAPTURE CONFIRMED.
STAND BY.
>> Reporter: THE ASTRONAUTS
SPENT NEARLY TWO MONTHS AT THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FOR
EXPERIMENTS AND ESSENTIAL
REPAIRS.
DOES IT FEEL LIKE AMERICA IS
BACK IN THE SPACE GAME?
>> IT REALLY DOES FEEL LIKE
WE’RE BACK.
IT WAS VERY MUCH LIKE THE RICH
HISTORY THAT WE WERE PART OF
WITH THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM AND
WE’RE JUST EXCITED TO BRING IT
BACK HOME AGAIN.
>> Reporter: THEIR RETURN
JOURNEY NEARLY 19 HOURS BEFORE
REENTERING THE EARTH’S
ATMOSPHERE IN A FIRE BALL.
TEMPERATURES UP TO 3500 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
FINALLY BREAKING THROUGH ON
SUNDAY.
PARACHUTES DEPLOY FOR A NEAR
PICTURE PERFECT WATER LANDING
OFF THE COAST OF PENSACOLA.
>> THIS DAY HERALDS A NEW AGE OF
SPACE EXPLORATION.
>> THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL
ABOUT HAVING THAT CAPABILITY TO
LAUNCH AND BRING YOUR OWN
ASTRONAUTS HOME.
>> Reporter: THIS MORNING NASA
AND SPACEX ALREADY HOPING TO
MAKE HISTORY ONCE AGAIN.
>> WE’RE GOING ON TO THE MOON
AND THEN ON TO MARS.
IT’S ABOUT MOMENTUM.
IT STARTS TODAY AND IT FINISHES
WHEN WE PUT ON AMERICAN FLAG ON
MARS.
>> Reporter: A LITTLE BIT OF A
COMPLICATION YESTERDAY AND THAT
IS AS THEY WERE DESCENDING DOWN
TOWARDS THE GULF OF MEXICO OFF
PENSACOLA, BOATERS, RECREATIONAL
BOATERS RUSHED TO THE SCENE.
SO THEY WERE ON SITE.
THEY WERE RIGHT THERE UP AGAINST
THE SPACEX CAPSULE BOBBING IN
THE OCEAN.
NASA AND SPACEX RUSHING TO THE
SCENE.
SPACEX SAYS YEAH, MAYBE NEXT
TIME WE NEED MORE COAST GUARD
ASSETS ON THE SCENE.
BY THE WAY, THEY PLAN TO GO BACK
UP ANOTHER SPACE CAPSULE,