High winds prompt splashdown delay for returning space station astronauts

Faced with high winds in the Gulf of Mexico, NASA managers decided to pass up a Sunday undocking and Monday morning splashdown for four returning space station astronauts, opting instead to aim for a landing Monday night when better weather is expected.

Crew-2 commander Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Japanese flier Akihiko Hoshide had planned to depart the International Space Station at 12 p.m. EST Sunday for a splashdown at 7:14 a.m. Monday.

But after an early morning weather assessment, undocking was moved back to 2:05 p.m. Monday, setting up splashdown at 10:33 p.m. that night. While the preferred landing zone is in the Gulf of Mexico, mission managers will choose a primary and backup site after additional weather assessments.