NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5:05 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 14, for the undocking of the agency's SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station, pending weather conditions.
On Jan. 8, NASA announced its decision to return the agency's SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the space station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory, who is stable. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov are targeted to splash down off the coast of California at 3:41 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15.
Mission managers continue monitoring conditions in the recovery area, as undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will select a specific splashdown time and location closer to the Crew-11 spacecraft undocking.
NASA's live coverage of return and related activities will stream on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency's YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.
NASA's coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to changed based on real-time operations):
Wednesday, Jan. 14
3 p.m. - Hatch closure coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
3:30 p.m. - Hatch closing
4:45 p.m. - Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
5:05 p.m. - Undocking
Following the conclusion of undocking coverage, NASA will distribute audio-only communications between Crew-11, the space station, and flight controllers during Dragon's transit away from the orbital complex.
Thursday, Jan. 15
2:15 a.m. - Return coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
2:51 a.m. - Deorbit burn
3:41 a.m. - Splashdown
5:45 a.m. - NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will lead a Return to Earth news conference streaming live on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency's YouTube channel.
