The two veteran NASA astronauts embarked on a one-week-long space venture last year. However, their stay got extended owing to unforeseen technical glitches including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions in the carrying spacecraft.

After returning to shore, the astronauts travelled to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to reunite with their families. NASA's teams will also focus on helping the astronauts re-acclimate to Earth's gravity.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams left the International Space Station after nine months in space, checking out with two other astronauts. Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening,