Video: Soyuz MS-01 leaves the space station for landing

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke will take command of the orbiting outpost as Expedition 74 begins with the undocking of Soyuz MS-27 on Monday, Dec. 8. The International Space Station is set to be de-orbited around 2030 or soon thereafter.

The launch of the next test flight of Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule has been delayed to no earlier than April 2 after workers replaced spacecraft avionics units damaged in a power surge during testing.

Two veteran spacemen embarking on a marathon yearlong mission in orbit must first sprint through a busy workday Friday — suiting up for liftoff, climbing into their Soyuz spaceship, then flying to the International Space Station.