Denise Chow is a science and space reporter for NBC News.
Boeing's beleaguered spacecraft will attempt to undock from the International Space Station on Friday and return to Earth without any astronauts onboard, NASA announced on Wednesday. The space agency said teams are on track for the uncrewed departure of the Starliner capsule, provided weather forecasts remain clear at its landing site in New Mexico.
The undocking process will be slightly different than it would be with astronauts onboard, with the capsule moving up and away from the space station more quickly, according to Anthony Vareha, lead flight director for the Starliner’s undocking and return at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The changes were made largely to protect the space station in case something goes wrong, and because astronauts will not be onboard to take manual control of the spacecraft, if necessary.
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