Astronauts stuck in space for eight-day mission could return in 2025: Nasa

Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, two astronauts who have been stuck in space since June 5 when they boarded Boeing’s Starliner for an eight-day mission, could return in February 2025 on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon if their spacecraft is still deemed unsafe to return home, Nasa confirmed on Wednesday. 

Wilmore and Williams' spacecraft started to have issues when the Starliner was near the International Space Station (ISS) including leaks in the propulsion system and its thrusters began shutting down. 

The Boeing flight was the first of its kind and the two astronauts were only sent to space on it to test if the spacecraft could be used regularly for space missions. 

The astronauts did make their way to the station but they have been floating in space ever since. Nasa officials confirmed in a news briefing on Wednesday that their return to Earth could be delayed until 2025. 

"Our prime option is to return Butch (Wilmore) and Suni (Williams) on Starliner. However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open,” Steve Stich, manager of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program, stated.

The Nasa officials also relayed that the two astronauts could be attached to a mission that is supposed to launch in September and will return by February 2025, however, the option is only being considered.

The officials further added that it would take a week or more for a final decision to be made. 

The flight in discussion will be a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft which was supposed to assist four crew members to the ISS but two of the seats in the spacecraft could be left unoccupied for Wilmore and Williams. 

The only drawback with this plan is that the astronauts will have to float and spend more than eight months at the space station. 

And if the plan with the Crew Dragon is carried out, the Starliner would return to Earth under computer control.