Astronauts stuck in space 'will be stranded until 2025' meaning eight-day trip will take eight months
24 August 2024, 18:29 | Updated: 24 August 2024, 18:44
Two astronauts who are stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) will be brought back to Earth in February 2025, according to NASA officials.
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The US space agency has decided to bring Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back on a craft belonging to SpaceX - Elon Musk's company - rather than the Boeing capsule they had originally been scheduled to use.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon has room to fly four astronauts up from Earth, but will take only two to leave room to take Williams and Wilmore back.
The Crew Dragon will leave Earth for the ISS in September.
Nasa and Boeing have tried to bring the astronauts home three times on the Boeing Starliner capsule, but some NASA staff have concerns over whether the craft is safe.
The pair will have been stuck on the ISS for about eight months by the time they return - when they had only expected to be away from Earth for eight days.
Boeing has said publicly that it "remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew".
They added in a statement: "We continue to support NASA’s requests for additional testing, data, analysis and reviews to affirm the spacecraft’s safe undocking and landing capabilities."
Starliner has also suffered five helium leaks and issues with a propellant five, as well as the problems with the thrusters,
This was the first crewed test of the Starliner capsule before it can be certified to use to make regular trips to the space station.
The astronauts have plenty of supplies, and have spent their time testing vital systems to make sure they are functioning correctly.
But it signals another blow to Boeing after a series of high-profile problems with its commercial aircraft in recent months.
