SPACEX CAPSULE: Lands in the Gulf of Mexico With NASA Astronauts
For the first time in 45 years, NASA astronauts returned to earth with an ocean landing, in the Gulf of Mexico.
This time it was a SpaceX capsule with NASA astronauts onboard, ushering in a new period for space exploration that has NASA working with private firms, such as Elon Musk's SpaceX, to shuttle astronauts to the space station.
NASA has noted that such deals allow the agency to cut costs and focus its energies on more involved missions, including a possible return to the Moon and future missions to Mars. This future excursions will also likely involve those commercial partnerships.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said of the partnerships, "The Commercial Crew program has really just proven the business model for how we go forward." (Los Angeles Times)