Astronauts Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore To Return In Feb 2025. Why Are They Stuck In Space?

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for over two months, are now scheduled to return to Earth in February 2025 with SpaceX.

NASA announced that the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which originally carried the astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), will return to Earth "uncrewed".

The pair's mission, initially planned as an eight-day journey beginning on June 5, will now extend to around eight months in orbit.

The Starliner encountered issues en route to the ISS, including helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters.

Despite extensive work by engineering teams—such as data reviews, flight and ground testing, and developing various return contingency plans—the spacecraft's condition remains uncertain, failing to meet safety standards for the astronauts' return.

The astronauts' stay on the ISS has been extended until February 2025 to accommodate their return on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This extension allows SpaceX to launch its next vehicle, slated for the end of September.