Washington: Four astronauts are scheduled to return to earth from the International Space Station Monday morning after spending more than six months in space, NASA announced.
Four members of the Crew-2 mission, including a French and Japanese astronauts, because it would return to earth before the arrival of a replacement crew, the take-off was delayed several times due to unfavorable weather conditions.
NASA said in a statement at the end of Friday that the Crew-2 member would return to earth “no earlier than 7:14 EST (1214 GMT) Monday, November 8, with a splash of Florida Beach.” “When we prepare to leave, it’s kind of bitter feeling, we might never return to see the ISS, and it’s really a magical place,” said French Astronaut Thomas Pesquet on early Friday during a press conference from the press station.
“I am very grateful that people dreamed of Iss some time ago and then went ahead and worked hard to make it happen and build it for the benefit of everyone,” added the pesquet.
Endeavour, Dragon crew spacecraft, is scheduled to be activated from the International Space Station in 1805 GMT to begin the journey home.
After being released from the ISS, the capsule will start a few hours, the duration can vary greatly depending on the track, and then it will land off Florida.
Undocking and splash backup opportunities are available Monday, if weather conditions are not profitable, NASA said.
Both missions are being carried out by NASA in collaboration with SpaceX, which now provides regular launches to ISS from the United States.
The Crew-3 is scheduled to take off for the ISS on the Spacex Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where astronauts are in quarantine for days.
Astronot Astronot Megan McArthur believes that it does not get a replacement crew for ISS before the crew at this time just leaving only a temporary setback.
“Of course it’s not optimal,” McArthur told reporters during a Friday press conference.
“But we are ready to manage it.
Spaceflight is full of many small challenges.”