At long last, Starliner astronauts prepare for their journey home: ‘We’re coming back’

, are ready to finally come home.

, their stay was only supposed to last a mere few days until they returned again as part of the first crewed flight test of the Starliner vehicle.

.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

.

, they can’t help but think about reuniting with their families and friends.

. “The hardest part is having the folks on the ground have to not know exactly when we’re coming back.”

. Together, the four spacefarers are set to return this month aboard the Dragon capsule that transported Hague and Gorbunov to the station in September.

What happened with the Starliner?

As the two astronauts selected for the Starliner’s first crewed flight test, Wilmore and Williams launched in June on a mission to test a vehicle intended to one day join the SpaceX Dragon in transporting NASA astronauts to orbit.

.

. Under NASA’s plan, that vehicle transported a truncated crew of two astronauts instead of a full contingent of four to leave empty seats for Williams and Wilmore on the return trip.

The Starliner crew members were then folded into the Crew-9 mission, whose spacefarers are continuing to serve out the full duration of their orbital stay.

Donald Trump, Elon Musk comment on ‘abandoned’ Starliner astronauts

.

.

.

on Feb. 13 after the host asked a question referencing Trump’s comments.

When Trump and Musk’s assertions were once again referenced in multiple questions posed by reporters during Tuesday’s news conference, Wilmore, who fielded the questions, struck a diplomatic air in his answers.

“We know what we’ve lived up here, we know the ins and outs and the specifics that they may not be privy to,” Wilmore said, referring to Trump and Musk. “And I’m sure they have some issues that they are dealing with, information they have that we’re not privy to … we support our nation’s leaders and we’re thankful for them.”

When does the Crew-10 mission launch for the ISS?

.

.

“We’re going to hand the baton to Crew-10 and we are going to return to Earth at the end of a successful long-duration mission,” Hague said Tuesday.

When will the Starliner astronauts return to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon?

Once the new astronauts arrive, a few days of handover activities will occur before Williams and Wilmore can join Crew-9 in the SpaceX Dragon to undock from the International Space Station.

Wilmore previously told CNN that the return voyage could possibly take place March 19.

During Tuesday’s news conference, Williams was asked what lasting impression she’ll leave the space station with, especially if it’s the last opportunity she has to go to orbit.

“The fact that we’re living up here in this very unique place gives you an amazing perspective,” Williams said. “I don’t want to lose that spark of inspiration and that perspective when I leave, so I’m gonna have to bottle it somehow.”

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

At long last, Starliner astronauts prepare for their journey home: ‘We’re coming back’