Four astronauts are preparing to return to Earth after spending nearly eight months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), with NASA and SpaceX targeting October 7 for the Crew-12 undocking. The Crew-12 astronauts have been living and working aboard the orbital laboratory since February 14, conducting scientific research and supporting station operations.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the ISS at around 5:35 pm IST on October 7, although the timeline remains dependent on weather, sea conditions and the readiness of the spacecraft and recovery teams.
The returning crew consists of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Crew-12 Set to Begin Journey Home
Following undocking, the astronauts are expected to spend a little more than a day travelling inside the Dragon spacecraft. If the schedule remains on track, Dragon will re-enter Earth's atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at approximately 11:34 a.m. EDT on October 8.
The return comes after a major transition aboard the space station. NASA’s Crew-13 arrived on October 1, bringing four new astronauts who have joined the Expedition 75 crew.
The formal command handover took place on October 4, when Jessica Meir transferred command of the ISS to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov.
Nearly Eight Months of Research in Orbit
During their time aboard the station, Crew-12 participated in scientific experiments and station operations as part of Expedition 75. Their research included studies aimed at improving understanding of how humans and biological systems respond to the challenging conditions of space.
For Meir, the upcoming return will also mark the end of her period as commander of the space station. The incoming crew will continue scientific research and routine operations aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Weather Could Affect Return Schedule
NASA is closely monitoring conditions around the planned California recovery zone before confirming the return timeline. Although the spacecraft is prepared for departure, weather and sea conditions in the Pacific could affect both the undocking and recovery operations.
If the plan proceeds as scheduled, the four astronauts will soon conclude nearly eight months of living and working about 400 kilometres above Earth, completing another long-duration mission aboard the ISS.
Relevant Link: NASA Official Website
Conversation
Be kind and stay on topic. Comments are moderated; abuse, spam and personal attacks are removed. Report a problem