Here's what to expect during Starliner's six-hour return journey From CNN's Jackie Wattles Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is docked to the International Space Station on July 3, 2024. This long-duration photograph was taken at night from the orbital complex as it soared 258 miles above western China. NASA It’s finally time for the Starliner capsule to come home — and a good performance Friday night could be crucial for Boeing and its astronaut spacecraft program. The vehicle is returning without the two astronauts — Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore — that it carried into space. NASA deemed the Starliner unsafe to carry humans on the return trip because of issues that cropped up during the first leg of the mission. The Starliner is set to leave its docking port at the International Space Station around 6 p.m. ET Friday before spending about six hours traveling through orbit as it slowly makes its descent toward home. Close to midnight, the capsule will reach one of the most important and treacherous legs of its test flight: reentry. The milestone will require the Starliner to orient itself carefully as it plunges into the thickest part of Earth’s atmosphere while still traveling at orbital speeds — typically more than 17,000 miles per hour (about 27,400 kilometers per hour.) As with every spacecraft that returns from orbit, the pressure and friction will put immense strain on the vehicle. The process can heat up the spacecraft’s exterior to more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,649 degrees Celsius). Then, as the Starliner vehicle free-falls through the air, a set of parachutes — which Boeing redesigned and tested as recently as January — must safely slow the capsule down before it reaches terra firma.  Here’s when and where to catch the action on Friday night (all times are approximate and subject to change): 5:45 p.m. ET: NASA begins its webcast of the event. 6:04 p.m. ET: The Starliner capsule undocks from the International Space Station and begins maneuvering through orbit. After the Starliner spacecraft safely leaves the direct vicinity of the space station, NASA will stop its coverage. 10:50 p.m. ET: NASA resumes its webcast coverage for landing 12:02 a.m. ET Saturday: Starliner hits the ground in New Mexico. 1:30 a.m. ET Saturday: NASA hosts a post-landing news conference. Link Copied!