Live coverage: SpaceX supply ship returns to Earth

Assuming good weather and a smooth final few weeks on the International Space Station, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are scheduled to undock from the orbiting research outpost Aug. 1 and return to Earth the next day to wrap up a 64-day test flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship.

SpaceX had to swap out the first stage booster used during the previous attempt and replace it with another for this mission. Liftoff from pad 40 happened at 12 a.m. EST (0500 UTC) on Sunday, Dec. 29.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be geared up for the long haul when they launch from the Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft later this month, but they won’t know exactly how long they will be in orbit until they are already aboard the International Space Station.