Two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who have been stuck in space for over two months, are set to return to Earth in February 2025 with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The astronauts launched on June 5 for an eight-day mission but will now spend around eight months in space.
As per multiple outlets, the Starliner faced problems on its way to the ISS, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters.
NASA awarded contracts worth billions to Boeing and SpaceX for commercial space flights.
Boeing’s contract is worth $4.2 billion, while SpaceX’s is $2.6 billion. SpaceX has successfully conducted nine crewed flights, while this was Boeing’s first crewed mission attempt.
Moreover, Boeing and NASA have been working to address the Starliner’s technical issues through testing and data collection to ensure a safe return for the astronauts.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stressed that safety is the primary concern and acknowledged that space flight involves risks.
The astronauts will remain on the ISS until February 2025 to allow SpaceX to launch its next Crew Dragon spacecraft in late September.
The spacecraft, initially planned for four astronauts, will now carry only two, making space for Wilmore and Williams to return.
