Boeing's Starliner capsule is ready to come back despite problems.

Boeing's Starliner capsule will return from the International Space Station without any astronauts on board. The capsule is scheduled to undock from the station on Friday and land in New Mexico six hours later.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who flew to the station on Starliner, will return to Earth on a SpaceX capsule in February. Their original return flight on Starliner was deemed too risky due to thruster problems and helium leaks.

Wilmore and Williams are now considered full-time station crew members and will continue to work on experiments and maintenance. To accommodate their return on SpaceX, the Dragon capsule will carry two astronauts instead of four on its next mission.

Boeing has been working to resolve issues with Starliner since its first unsuccessful test flight in 2019. The capsule experienced thruster failures and helium leaks during its recent mission, prompting NASA to opt for a SpaceX return for the astronauts.

Starliner's return flight will be shorter and simpler than originally planned to minimize stress on the capsule's thrusters. Despite the mission's challenges, Wilmore and Williams remain dedicated to the success of human spaceflight.