Barack Obama welcomes astronauts, calls NASA-SpaceX mission symbol of 'American ingenuity'

Former United States President Barack Obama welcomed two astronauts Bob Behnken and Col. Doug Hurley and congratulated m for successfully returning to Earth after a 63-day voy aboard Crew Dragon craft on Sunday. Obama, during his Presidency, had launched Commercial Crew Program to strengn and expand US Program. NASA formed its partnerships with X and Boeing under his administration.

Taking to Twitter former President said, "This historic NASA-X mission is a symbol of what American ingenuity and inventiveness can achieve."

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NASA’s X Demo-2 mission

Behnken and Hurley made history when y became first people to be launched into low-Earth orbit on a commercial craft built by X. ir successful landing into waters near coast of Pensacola, Florida, marked first historic splashdown in almost 50 years. NASA's last water landing closed out in July 1975 with Apollo-Soyuz outer mission.

splashdown marked first return of a commercially built and operated US craft carrying astronauts from station, wrapping up NASA’s X Demo-2 mission.  mission, Demo-2, also marked first time NASA had launched astronauts from US soil in nine years. NASA astronauts were blasted off from Cape Canaveral on May 30. 

NASA's Commercial Crew Program

NASA's Commercial Crew Program aims to conduct human flights to and from International Station using crafts manufactured by X and Boeing. initiative's final goals seek to expand NASA's capabilities for low-orbit transportation, potentially allowing people to travel to International Station for corporate research, utility repairs and tourism. In turn, delegating se pursuits to private partners allows NASA to prioritize deep- exploration.

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