NASA To Stream SpaceX Crew-12 Return, Splashdown Live

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NASA and SpaceX are targeting Crew-12’s departure from the International Space Station at 8:05 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 7, with splashdown off California planned for 11:34 a.m. EDT Thursday. NASA has published a live coverage schedule, but both events depend on spacecraft, recovery team and weather conditions.

NASA says it will stream the planned return of SpaceX Crew-12, with undocking from the International Space Station targeted for 8:05 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 7, and splashdown off California expected at about 11:34 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 8. The schedule is conditional: NASA and SpaceX are monitoring weather, spacecraft readiness and recovery operations, so the times may change.

NASA’s schedule starts Wednesday with hatch closure coverage at 6 a.m. EDT and hatch closing at 6:20 a.m. Coverage of the departure is due to begin at 7:45 a.m., ahead of the targeted undocking time. After the main undocking coverage ends, NASA plans to provide audio-only communications among the crew, the space station and flight controllers as Dragon moves away from the orbital complex.

On Thursday, NASA’s return coverage is scheduled to begin at 10:20 a.m. EDT. The listed milestones are a deorbit burn at 10:46 a.m. and splashdown at approximately 11:34 a.m. The agency says the capsule is expected to land off the coast of California. All listed times are Eastern and subject to change as operations unfold.

The four returning crew members are NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. NASA says the Oct. 7 departure would put the crew on schedule for the following day’s landing. The agency directs viewers to its live page for information on where to watch; the release does not specify a single platform.

A Public View of Crew’s Return

The schedule gives viewers a way to follow the key stages of a crewed return, from hatch closure and separation from the station to the planned landing. The milestone times also show how the return spans two days: the crew is due to leave the orbital complex Wednesday morning, while the deorbit burn and Pacific landing are planned for Thursday.

For the crew and mission teams, the published times are targets rather than guarantees. NASA says the departure depends on Dragon’s readiness, the recovery team’s readiness and conditions in the Pacific recovery area, among other factors. A change to the undocking time could affect the expected return schedule, so viewers should treat the agency’s live updates as the current reference during operations.

NASA also plans a briefing after the landing, bringing together representatives from its Low Earth Orbit Program, SpaceX and ESA. The agency says the briefing will cover both the Crew-12 return and the SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services-35 launch. That places the crew’s return alongside a separate resupply mission in the agency’s planned discussion, though NASA’s notice does not provide additional details about the cargo launch.

From Station Departure to Landing

Crew-12 is a NASA and SpaceX mission to the International Space Station. The four-person crew named in NASA’s release includes astronauts from NASA and ESA and a cosmonaut from Roscosmos. The notice concerns the return leg of the mission: Dragon is to undock from the station, travel away from the orbital complex, perform a deorbit burn and splash down in the Pacific off California.

The plan depends on several linked operations. NASA and SpaceX must be ready to undock the spacecraft, and recovery teams must be prepared at the landing area. Weather in the Pacific can also affect whether the teams can proceed. NASA’s release says mission managers are monitoring those conditions and that other factors may affect the schedule; it does not describe a specific weather forecast or identify a backup landing time.

NASA’s live coverage is divided between the two days. Wednesday’s programming focuses on hatch closure and undocking, followed by audio-only communications during Dragon’s departure. Thursday’s coverage is scheduled to include the deorbit burn and splashdown. This sequence follows the milestones published by NASA; it does not confirm that any of them has already occurred.

Weather and Readiness Could Shift Times

Undocking has not been confirmed; NASA and SpaceX are targeting it for Wednesday, pending conditions. NASA says the decision depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, Pacific weather and other factors. The release does not say whether a delay is likely, provide an alternate undocking time or give a backup splashdown date and location.

The announced splashdown time is also a plan, not a completed event. NASA says an Oct. 7 departure would put the crew on schedule to land Thursday at about 11:34 a.m. EDT. The agency’s notice does not provide a forecast for the landing area, details of the recovery operation or a confirmed outcome. Those details may change with real-time operations.

Watch for NASA Schedule Updates

NASA’s next listed milestone is hatch closure coverage at 6 a.m. EDT Wednesday, followed by hatch closing at 6:20 a.m. and undocking coverage at 7:45 a.m. The targeted separation is 8:05 a.m. NASA says it will provide audio-only communications after the main undocking coverage concludes.

If the schedule proceeds, return coverage begins Thursday at 10:20 a.m. EDT, with the deorbit burn planned for 10:46 a.m. and splashdown at about 11:34 a.m. NASA has also scheduled a briefing for 1:15 p.m. Thursday. Its listed participants are Bill Spetch and Dr. Liz Warren of NASA, Lee Echerd of SpaceX and Andreas Mogensen of ESA. Media seeking to join the teleconference must contact NASA’s Johnson newsroom by noon EDT on Oct. 8, according to the release.

Viewers can check NASA’s live page for viewing information and schedule changes. NASA and SpaceX have not confirmed that the planned milestones will occur at the listed times; the agencies’ updates during operations will determine the status of the return.

Key Questions

When is Crew-12 scheduled to leave the space station?

NASA and SpaceX are targeting undocking for 8:05 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 7. The time is conditional on weather and mission readiness.

When and where is Crew-12 expected to splash down?

NASA lists a splashdown at approximately 11:34 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 8, off the coast of California. This is a planned time and location, not a confirmed landing.

Who is returning on Crew-12?

The returning crew members named by NASA are astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

Where can viewers watch the return?

NASA says coverage will stream through a variety of platforms and directs viewers to its live page for viewing information. The release does not name one exclusive platform.

Could the return schedule change?

Yes. NASA says the listed times are subject to change based on real-time operations. Undocking depends on Dragon and recovery team readiness, Pacific weather and other factors.

Source: primary