Four astronauts bid farewell from space a few days before flying home. The members of SpaceX’s Crew-6 mission, who have spent more than six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), delivered their farewell remarks from orbit on Thursday (Aug. 31), expressing their gratitude for the support they have received throughout their mission ahead of their expected departure on Saturday (Sept. 2).
During the livestreamed remarks on NASA Television, NASA astronaut and Crew-6 commander Stephen Bowen reflected on his experience, stating, “When we showed up here six months ago, it was a new experience for all of us. I’d been to space, but never been on a long-duration mission, and this has been an absolutely incredible experience.”
The Crew-6 mission included various significant milestones, such as cargo spacecraft visits, three spacewalks, and the arrival of the Ax-2 private astronaut crew, organized by Houston-based company Axiom Space, according to NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg. Hoburg expressed hope that they were leaving the space station in a better condition than they found it.
The Crew-6 undocking and splashdown can be watched live on Space.com, courtesy of NASA Television. Coverage of the hatch closing and undocking will begin at 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) on Saturday, Sept. 2, while splashdown coverage will commence later that evening at 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 GMT Sunday, Sept. 3). Splashdown is expected off the coast of Florida on Sunday at 12:58 a.m. EDT (0458 GMT).
While NASA officials are monitoring the potential impacts of Hurricane Idelia on these activities, no changes have been made to the schedule as of yet. Hurricane Idelia made a destructive landfall in Florida on Wednesday (Aug. 30), prompting cautionary measures.
The Crew-6 astronauts were launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on March 2 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Their Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on March 3. The full crew includes NASA’s Bowen and Hoburg, cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who became the first person from the UAE to undertake a long-duration mission and a spacewalk.
Al Neyadi, known for his active social media outreach, highlighted the importance of showcasing the activities on the space station, especially for the UAE. He shared hundreds of posts on social media with pictures and videos documenting his daily experiences. Al Neyadi expressed his joy, stating, “I think it’s a small boost towards spreading the enthusiasm in our region. I can’t be happier. With the time I was here, (I was) doing everything possible.”
As the Crew-6 astronauts prepare for their departure from the ISS and their return to Earth, the world eagerly awaits their safe return and the successful completion of their record-breaking flight.