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NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have prepared the Boeing Starliner spacecraft for its return to Earth tonight.
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The spacecraft will undock from the International Space Station at 3:30 am IST on Saturday and land in New Mexico six hours later.
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Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth in February next year on a SpaceX spacecraft due to technical issues with the Starliner.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have finished packing the Boeing Starliner spacecraft with cargo and configuring its cabin for return. The spacecraft is set to undock from the International Space Station tonight and land in New Mexico six hours later. The return journey will take place in autonomous mode.
The astronauts have closed the hatch of the spacecraft, marking the final preparations for its departure. Williams and Wilmore will not be on board the spacecraft when it returns to Earth due to technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks. Instead, they will return to Earth in February next year on a SpaceX spacecraft.
The astronauts have been conducting various experiments on the International Space Station, including studying the effects of microgravity on the heart and breathing, space botany, fire safety, and Earth observations. Scientists on the ground will analyze the research data for insights on improving human health and promoting Earth and space industries.
My team and I worked with Butch and Suni to finalize the config of the return cargo in Calypso this morning. This afternoon they will do a final check of the cabin and close the hatches between it and @Space_Station. Still on track for undock and landing tomorrow evening.
— Ed Van Cise (@Carbon_Flight) September 5, 2024
