SpaceX Guiding NASA Astronauts to 1st Splashdown in 45 Years

SpaceX Guiding NASA Astronauts to 1st Splashdown in 45 Years
Astronauts Doug Hurley, left, and Bob Behnken prepare for undocking from the International Space Station, aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Aug. 1, 2020. NASA via AP
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—The first astronauts to ride a SpaceX capsule into orbit headed toward a retro-style splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday afternoon to close out a two-month test flight.

It will mark the first splashdown in 45 years for NASA astronauts and the first return in the gulf. Unlike Florida’s Atlantic coast, already feeling the effects of Tropical Storm Isaias, the waves and wind were calm near Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle.