Two NASA astronauts who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station for over two months are scheduled to return to Earth in February 2025, with the help of SpaceX.
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who embarked on their ISS mission on June 5, 2024, were originally set to return after just eight days. However, a series of issues with their spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner, has prolonged their mission to nearly eight months.
NASA announced that the Boeing Starliner, which was intended to bring the astronauts back, will instead return to Earth without a crew. The spacecraft faced multiple technical problems during its journey to the ISS, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters. These challenges have kept engineers at Boeing and NASA busy for months as they work to resolve the issues.
Boeing and SpaceX both secured billion-dollar contracts from NASA to provide commercial space flights for its astronauts. Boeing’s contract is valued at $4.2 billion, while SpaceX received $2.6 billion. While SpaceX has successfully conducted several crewed missions to the ISS, this was Boeing’s first test flight of the Starliner with astronauts on board.
Due to the unresolved issues with Starliner, NASA has decided that Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. Their extended stay on the ISS allows SpaceX to prepare and launch its next vehicle, slated for the end of September. Originally intended to carry four astronauts, this mission will now carry only two, leaving space for Williams and Wilmore to join the return trip in February.
While NASA and Boeing continue to work on resolving the Starliner’s issues, the primary focus remains on ensuring the safe return of the astronauts.
