An uncrewed Boeing Starliner is ready to return to Earth this Friday, while its crew will stay at the International Space Station for another five months.

Boeing and NASA are optimistic about the Starliner’s journey and its planned parachute landing in the New Mexico desert. However, they opted against having astronauts aboard for the flight. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will remain at the station until February, when they will make their return on a SpaceX vehicle.

“We trust the vehicle,” said Steve Stich, the head of NASA’s commercial crew program, during a news conference on Wednesday. “It has been quite a process to reach this point, and we are thrilled to see Starliner undock and head back.”

Nonetheless, NASA officials assessed that the Starliner was not reliable enough for Williams and Wilmore to return, leading to the decision for the astronauts to stay onboard while Starliner undocks without them.

Here’s how to follow Starliner’s journey back home and key details about the mission.

What Time Will the Boeing Starliner Undock?

The Starliner is expected to undock from the ISS at 6:04 p.m. on Friday, with a landing scheduled for early Saturday at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

Thrusters will enable the Starliner to navigate itself away from the space station and towards Earth before it begins its atmospheric descent. The capsule is projected to land around 12:03 a.m., deploying parachutes to decelerate its landing.

In the event of adverse weather or technical difficulties, the Starliner may reschedule its return for September 10, 14, or 18, according to NASA’s plans.

How to Watch Starliner’s Return to Earth

NASA will stream the Starliner’s return live from Earth.

Anyone interested in catching the undocking and landing can view it on NASA+, as the agency has discontinued NASA Television. You can also stay updated through the NASA app, their official website, and their YouTube channel.

YSL News will also offer a live stream of the event.

Coverage starts at 5:45 p.m. EDT on Friday, as per NASA’s announcement. After the undocking, the broadcast will pause for a few hours before resuming at around 10:50 p.m. for the craft’s deorbit burn and entry into the atmosphere, leading up to the landing.

If everything goes as planned, a news conference after the landing will be streamed at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Saturday.

FLORIDA TODAY, part of the YSL News Network, will provide live coverage at floridatoday.com/space.

What Lies Ahead for the Starliner Crew?

Williams and Wilmore, who arrived at the space station on June 6 for a 10-day mission, are now in for a total of eight months in orbit.

The troubled Starliner faced numerous challenges even before its successful launch on June 5 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida during its first crewed test mission. After arriving at the orbital station a day post-launch, engineers uncovered multiple helium leaks and issues with the propulsion system that hindered Starliner’s return capabilities.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, set to bring Wilmore and Williams back home in February, is planned to launch on September 24 for the Crew-9 mission. Due to the need to accommodate the pair of Starliner astronauts, NASA has indicated that Crew-9 will include only two crew members instead of the usual four.

The Boeing spacesuits worn by Wilmore and Williams during their launch will return with the Starliner, while Williams will wear a SpaceX suit for her return, and Crew-9 will carry an additional suit for Wilmore, as explained by Stich on Wednesday.

According to Dana Weigel, NASA’s space station program manager, the experienced astronauts have been prepared for the possibility of an extended mission, having each been to space twice prior.

While on their mission, astronauts Williams and Wilmore have participated in over 40 scientific tests aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 71, according to Weigel. They will keep contributing to research and performing routine maintenance until their return next year.

“We ensured they were thoroughly prepared for these responsibilities,” Weigel commented. “They are equipped to carry out any tasks we assign to them.”

What’s next for the Boeing Starliner?

This mission was the first time the Starliner was demonstrated with a crew, aimed at competing against SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, for carrying out regular spaceflights for NASA.

However, the test flight seemed to create some tension between Boeing and NASA officials, who had differing opinions on whether Starliner could safely return its crew. Once it lands back on Earth, it’s uncertain if Starliner will be certified for crewed NASA missions to the space station.

If the landing goes well, Boeing will need to conduct more ground tests on Starliner to address any potential propulsion issues and prepare for future missions.

“Their team will begin assessing what needs to be done for the vehicle’s full certification moving forward,” said Stich on Wednesday.

Although Boeing hasn’t released any recent updates on its website, the company mentioned on its social media page on August 24 that it will conduct the mission “as determined by NASA.”

“Our primary focus remains on ensuring the safety of both the crew and the spacecraft,” the company assured.