The four astronauts should reach the space station Saturday night, paving pave the way for next week's return of Butch Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams, who grew up in Needham.

The launch will mean NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally closing in on their long-awaited flight back to Earth.

The astronauts’ eventual arrival at the orbiting laboratory will clear the way for the return of NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams