WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) -- Tonight, NASA and Boeing will attempt to un-dock the Starliner capsule from the International Space Station (ISS) and they'll try to bring it back to Earth by remote control.

The CBS12 News I-Team has been reporting on the Starliner capsule extensively because this was its first manned mission into space, carrying two astronauts to the ISS, and frankly, it's been riddled with technical problems.

If things go well in the hours ahead, the Starliner capsule will break through the hot upper atmosphere, and it will descend to the landing zone out in the desert:

NASA says it should touch down in New Mexico close to midnight, or early Saturday morning.

Starliner deploys airbags to land on solid ground after its parachutes fire.

But before that, Starliner has to leave its parking spot at the Space Station.

That means it has to use its thrusters to put it in reverse-- then maneuver over the top of the station.

And the thrusters on Starliner malfunctioned shortly after it launched back in June.

Those thrusters combined with helium leaks are the reason why NASA decided not to try to return to Earth on schedule, and now, why they're not putting Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back in the cockpit.

Wilmore and Williams were supposed to be on station for eight days, their visit has been extended to eight months.

A Space-X Dragon Crew capsule will be their ride home. I want you to hear what NASA's flight director has to say about Starliner's shove-off.

The undock is slated for 6:05 p.m., but a scrub is possible too.

A minute before shove off, NASA or Boeing could say "no-go" for any number of reasons.

If Starliner doesn't perform well on this return trip, it's unlikely NASA will certify the vehicle, then the future of Starliner is in question.

This is a high-pressure moment for Boeing; the company needs everything to be flawless.

See also: Former astronaut on being stranded on the space station, the long wait to come home

If the capsule crashes into the station or doesn't make its target for re-entry, this historic mission that's been overshadowed by hiccups could become a permanent black eye for Boeing which hopes to contract with NASA for future space missions.

To re-iterate, no astronauts will be on board Starliner, but as space moments go, this is a big one.