SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts now expected to return to Earth on Sunday

SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts return to Earth delayed for second time due to weather

The Crew-1 astronauts were expected to begin their journey home on Friday. For the second time, weather will keep them in space a bit longer.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Crew-1 astronauts were expected to begin their journey home on Friday. But for the second time, weather was the reason for keeping them in space a little bit longer. Now, we know when Crew-1 is expected back home.

On Friday, NASA officials met to review opportunities for the safe return of Crew-1.

Coverage from NASA TV will begin at 6:20 p.m. (EST) on Saturday with the hatch closing and 8:35 p.m. (EST) for the undocking.

Then on Sunday at approximately 2:57 a.m. (EST), NASA TV will air the splashdown of the astronauts back to Earth, followed by a 5 a.m. (EST) news conference from officials at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

SpaceX's crew — made up of NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi — were scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on Friday at 5:55 p.m. They were expected to splash down in the ocean off the coast of Florida at 11:36 a.m. on Saturday, May 1.

The NASA, SpaceX Crew-1 mission lifted off on November 15, 2020. The astronauts have remained there ever since. They were supposed to return to Earth earlier this week, but weather conditions in the splashdown zones delayed the journey the first time.

The successful launch of SpaceX Crew-1 was reportedly the first flight of a NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. While at the ISS, they worked on several experiments.

Crew-1 astronauts prepare to return to Earth

SpaceX's Crew-1 astronauts will undock from the International Space Station on Friday and head back to Earth. UCF's Dr. Philip Metzger discusses it with Good Day Orlando.

For example, they are said to have worked on tissue chips that mimic the structure and function of human organs to understand the role of microgravity on human health and diseases and translate those findings to improve human health on Earth.

NASA said that they also grew radishes in different types of light and soils to produce food in space and tested a new system to remove heat from spacesuits.

Last weekend, they welcomed the SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts aboard after docking at the Internationa Space Station. NASA said this was the first time two Crew Dragons were attached to the space station.

Watch FOX 35 News for the latest updates on Crew-1's return to Earth.