Raising the tension further, the new Boeing astronaut capsule, Starliner, departed from the International Space Station (ISS) this morning without astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
The capsule, which left alone, is expected to land in the New Mexico desert in about six hours.
Before Starliner undocked from the ISS, Sunita Williams said to Boeing Mission Control, “Take it back to Earth… Goodbye to Starliner… Good luck.”
Sunita Williams and Wilmore had originally reached the ISS in June for an eight-day mission. They were supposed to return to Earth within a week, but technical issues in the Starliner pushed them into danger. Failures with the thrusters and a helium leak left them stranded.
NASA scientists were perplexed about how to bring them back safely, and since then, the world has been anxiously waiting for their return. NASA has been working hard to ensure their safe return to Earth.
Finally, Starliner has now returned without them, carrying some equipment from the old ISS. It is expected that SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, will bring them back in February next year.
Preparations for this mission are in full swing.