SpaceX Crew-7 and its quartet of astronauts successfully completed their departure from the International Space Station (ISS) at 11:20 a.m. EDT (1520 GMT), with the undocking event broadcasted live on NASA Television. The undocking occurred above Hawaii, as reported by NASA’s live broadcast.
Remaining on board the ISS, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara conveyed her farewell message to the departing crew, saying, “Enjoy the last few hours in orbit, and soft landings. Can’t wait to see you guys in a couple of weeks.”
The diverse international crew comprises NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen from the European Space Agency (ESA), Satoshi Furukawa from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. Their mission duration is set at 199 days, assuming a timely splashdown on March 12.
If the return to Earth proceeds as planned, Crew-7 is expected to splash down off the coast of Florida no earlier than 5:35 a.m. EDT (0935 GMT) on March 12. However, this timeline is contingent upon the selection of the splashdown site. Coverage is slated to commence at 4:30 a.m. EDT (0830 GMT).
Crew-7 utilized SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endurance for their journey to the ISS, launching on August 26 for a six-month residence on the orbiting complex. Throughout their stay, the crew conducted numerous experiments, managed cargo shipments, and hosted the Axiom Space Ax-3 crew during a brief two-week visit to the ISS.
Notably, Moghbeli and O’Hara participated in the fourth-ever all-woman spacewalk on November 1, 2023, replacing a faulty electronics box and undertaking various duties. Another planned spacewalk, involving Moghbeli and Mogensen, was initially delayed and eventually canceled following a leak at the Russian segment of the ISS in October. Factors such as cargo ship activities and other station duties contributed to these changes.
Expressing support for the safety-first approach, Mogensen posted on social media from the ISS on October 11, 2023, stating, “NASA will need more time to assess the readiness of the EVA. I fully support the safety-first approach we always take when it comes to space, even if it means waiting a bit longer to go on our spacewalk.”
