NASA delays astronauts return from space amid high winds

New Delhi : The return of four astronauts who had been living in the International Space Station (ISS) for more than six months are now cheduled to return on Earth on Monday.

The four members of the Crew-2 mission, including French and a Japanese astronaut, will return to Earth before the replacement crew reaches there as the launch has been delayed several times due to unfavourable conditions.

NASA said in a statement late Friday that Crew-2 members are due to return to Earth "no earlier than 7:14 am EST (1214 GMT) Monday, Nov. 8, with a splashdown off the coast of Florida."

"As we're preparing to leave, it's kind of a bittersweet feeling, we might never come back to see the ISS, and it's really a magical place," French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said earlier Friday during a press conference from the space station.

"I'm very thankful that people dreamt the ISS some time ago and then went ahead and worked hard to make it happen and to build it for the benefit of everyone," Pesquet added.

Endeavour, the Crew Dragon spacecraft, is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station at 1805 GMT Sunday to begin the journey home.

After a journey of long hours, the capsule will land off the coast of Florida. A backup undocking and splashdown opportunity is available Monday, if weather conditions are not favorable, NASA said.