Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft lands in New Mexico

WHITE SANDS SPACE HARBOR, N.M. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Boeing's Starliner spacecraft made its long-awaited return to Earth.

The capsule undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) Friday night, and then spent roughly six hours flying back to Earth before successfully touching down at New Mexico's White Sands Space Harbor just after midnight.

The landing was long-delayed, following problems with Starliner's thrusters and a helium leak.

What was originally expected to be around an eight day orbital mission was drawn out for three months, and while Starliner launched with two NASA astronauts aboard Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, nobody rode it home.

Instead, NASA will keep the astronauts at the space station into the new year and have them fly back to Earth in February on a SpaceX capsule.