like share subscribe and press the Bell icon for more updates the successful deployment of the parachutes followed by airbags will be critical for a soft touchdown expected around 12: to 3:00 a.m. eastern daylight Ed on September 7th as the clock ticked towards midnight on September 6th 2024 the eyes of space enthus iasts and the general public Alik are fixed on the skies awaiting the dramatic return of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft this is not just any return it marks the conclusion of a journey that began 14 years ago with High Hopes but faced significant challenges through its tenure The Descent will not just be a test of star liner's heat shield but also of its parachute system predesigned after previous tests the post Landing news conference is scheduled for 1:30 a.m. Ed NASA astronauts offered encouraging words to the mission control team overseeing the undocking of Boeing's Starliner from the ISS Sunita Williams and bulmore who are staying aboard the ISS while the uncr star Lin are returns to earth vo their confidence in the flight control team handling the capsule's return it's time to bring cypu home you've got this William said about the Starliner we're here supporting you bring her back safely to Earth Starliner carrying NASA astronauts bu Sunni Williams embarked on its inaugural crude mission on June 5th successfully docking with the International Space Station ISS the following day however the mission intended to demonstrate Boeing's capability to FY astronauts to space encountered hurdles issues with helium leaks and malfunctioning reaction control thrusters during the approach to the ISS raised concerns about the spacecraft's reliability for the return trip after weeks of analysis and deliberation NASA made the unprecedented decision on August 24th to have star linar return to Earth without its crew this decision underscored the priority of astronaut safety opting for astronauts will Mor and Williams to stay aboard the ISS and return on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in February 2025 stay tuned for more trending videos