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NASA says it plans to stream the SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts’ return from the International Space Station, with undocking targeted for Oct. 7 and splashdown off California around 11:34 a.m. EDT Oct. 8. The schedule is provisional and depends on spacecraft and recovery readiness, weather, and other operational factors.
NASA plans to stream the return of the SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts from the International Space Station, with Dragon undocking targeted for 8:05 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 7, and splashdown off California expected at about 11:34 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. NASA says the timeline depends on weather and mission readiness, so the times may change.
The four crew members scheduled to return are NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. They are to depart the station aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. NASA’s announcement describes the Oct. 7 undocking and Oct. 8 splashdown as planned milestones, not completed events.
NASA’s coverage schedule for Wednesday begins with hatch-closure coverage at 6 a.m., followed by hatch closing at 6:20 a.m. Undocking coverage is set to begin at 7:45 a.m., ahead of the targeted 8:05 a.m. departure. After that coverage ends, the agency says it will provide audio-only communications among the crew, the space station, and flight controllers as Dragon moves away from the orbital complex.
On Thursday, return coverage is scheduled to begin at 10:20 a.m. The listed sequence includes a deorbit burn at 10:46 a.m. and splashdown at approximately 11:34 a.m. NASA says its coverage will be available through multiple platforms and directs viewers to its online live page for viewing details. The agency also lists a 1:15 p.m. briefing about the Crew-12 return and SpaceX’s Commercial Resupply Services-35 launch.
A Live View of Crew’s Return
The planned broadcast gives viewers a way to follow key stages of a crewed return from orbit, including the Dragon’s departure, its planned deorbit burn, and its arrival in the Pacific recovery area. These events are operational milestones: the spacecraft must leave the station safely, travel through Earth’s atmosphere, and reach a recovery zone where teams can retrieve the crew and capsule.
The schedule also makes the return accessible beyond mission control and the recovery operation. NASA’s live coverage is intended to provide updates as events unfold, while the later briefing is set to bring together agency, SpaceX, and ESA representatives. For the astronauts’ families and the public, the stream offers a timely account of the planned journey home; it does not mean the schedule is guaranteed.
NASA lists several conditions that can affect the timing, including spacecraft readiness, recovery-team readiness, and Pacific weather. A shift in any of these factors could change the sequence or delay the return. The published schedule is consequently a plan that mission managers will continue to evaluate, rather than a fixed appointment.
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Crew-12’s Planned Departure
Crew-12 is a joint human spaceflight mission involving NASA, SpaceX, ESA, and Roscosmos. The crew has been working aboard the International Space Station; the announced event is their planned return aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. NASA’s release focuses on the departure and landing schedule and on how the public can watch, rather than providing a detailed account of the crew’s activities on orbit.
The return sequence begins before undocking. NASA’s timeline includes closing the hatch between Dragon and the station, then separating the spacecraft from the orbital complex. After the transit away from the station, the crew is scheduled to perform a deorbit burn before the capsule enters the atmosphere and descends toward the Pacific recovery area off California. Each listed time is in Eastern Daylight Time, and NASA says times are subject to change based on real-time operations.
The announcement also schedules a post-return briefing at 1:15 p.m. Thursday. Listed participants are Bill Spetch and Dr. Liz Warren of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program, SpaceX senior mission manager Lee Echerd, and ESA’s Andreas Mogensen. NASA says media seeking to join virtually must contact the Johnson Space Center newsroom by noon on Oct. 8 for call details, and reporters must dial in at least 10 minutes before the briefing to ask questions.
Weather and Timing Could Shift
NASA has not confirmed that undocking or splashdown will occur at the scheduled times. The agency says the plan is subject to weather conditions and real-time operations, and that readiness of both Dragon and the recovery team will factor into the decision. It has not specified in the announcement what alternative times or dates would be used if conditions do not support the planned sequence.
The release also does not give a specific splashdown location beyond describing the recovery area as off the California coast. Viewers should check NASA’s live page for updated coverage information and schedule changes. Until the spacecraft has undocked and returned, the listed milestones remain planned events.
Watch for Mission Updates
NASA and SpaceX will continue monitoring the capsule, recovery-team readiness, and conditions in the Pacific before the scheduled departure. NASA’s stream is set to start with hatch-closure coverage at 6 a.m. EDT Oct. 7, followed by the targeted undocking. If the mission proceeds on schedule, return coverage begins at 10:20 a.m. Oct. 8, with splashdown planned for about 11:34 a.m.
NASA has not stated in this announcement whether any schedule changes will be made or when they would be issued. Viewers can follow the agency’s live coverage page for the current broadcast details. A briefing on the return and the SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services-35 launch is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. EDT on Oct. 8.
Key Questions
When is Crew-12 scheduled to leave the space station?
NASA and SpaceX are targeting 8:05 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 7, for Dragon to undock. NASA says that time is subject to change.
When is the Crew-12 splashdown expected?
The planned splashdown is at about 11:34 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 8, off the coast of California. The timing depends on mission and recovery conditions.
Who is returning on Crew-12?
The crew scheduled to return comprises NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Where can viewers watch the return?
NASA says the return will stream through a variety of platforms and directs viewers to its NASA Live page for details. The agency’s schedule lists coverage beginning at 6 a.m. EDT Oct. 7 and 10:20 a.m. EDT Oct. 8.
Why might the schedule change?
NASA says undocking depends on Dragon’s readiness, recovery-team readiness, Pacific weather, and other factors. The agency lists all times as subject to change based on real-time operations.
Source: primary
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