Boeing Starliner capsule is on its way home from space — without astronauts on board

Follow CNN's live updates on the Boeing Starliner capsule returns home.

Boeing's Starliner capsule undocked from the International Space Station Friday night, ending its nearly three-month stay in space. But it's flying with an empty cabin, leaving two test pilots who now must remain on the station for another five or six months.

According to NASA, the Starliner left its docking port at the space station just after 6 p.m. ET. The capsule will fly in free orbit through space for about six hours as it slowly descends toward home.

Before the capsule took off, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams ...