WATCH: Boeing’s Starliner on its way back to Earth without NASA’s Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft began its return journey to Earth in the wee hours of Saturday, September 7. It departed the International Space Station (ISS) around 6:04 pm (EDT) on Friday, or 3:30 am (IST) on Saturday. The capsule is now headed back to Earth without its crew and NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.

A video shared by NASA showed Starliner exiting the space station. The uncrewed Starliner spacecraft could be seen backing away from the space station after undocking from the Harmony module's forward port of the ISS. Watch video here ⬇️

"Starliner has exited the approach ellipsoid for space station as it continues its return to Earth," Boeing said as it shared a series of updates on X as the spacecraft began its return to Earth without a crew.

Starliner is expected to land at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico just after 12 am ET, or 9:30 am IST, on September 7.

Before Starliner's return, NASA said Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore “called down to flight controllers today to thank teams for their support.”

Williams said, "We are just looking at the flight control roster and like wow, it is the the all-star team...it is time to bring Calypso home. You have got this. We have your backs and you've got this. Bring her back to Earth."

Starliner returns after months of delay

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched aboard the Starliner on June 5. They should have flown the Boeing spacecraft back to Earth in mid-June, a week after launching in it. But thruster failures and helium leaks marred their ride to the space station.

NASA ultimately decided it was too risky to return the two astronauts on Starliner. So the fully automated capsule left with their empty seats and blue spacesuits along with some old station equipment. SpaceX will bring the duo back in late February, stretching their original eight-day mission to more than eight months.