The Two Astronauts Stuck In Space Not Expected To Be Back On Earth Until 2025

The Two Astronauts Stuck In Space For 80 Days Not Expected To Be Back On Earth Until 2025

We previously reported on two astronauts that have been stuck in their spacecraft for a while now. According to new report from NASA, they’re expected to be back on Earth in 2025.

In a statement released today, NASA revealed that Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were aboard the Boeing Starliner, will be coming home much later than originally expected.

The astronauts’ journey originally started on June 5 when Wilmore and Williams launched into space on an 8-day mission to the International Space Station. Unfortunately things went south.

 

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Following their arrival at the ISS, the flight experienced thruster failures and helium leaks so severe that NASA kept the capsule parked at the ISS as they searched for a solution.

After being stuck in space for 80 days, NASA decided that it was unsafe for them to attempt to get back to Earth on the Boeing Starliner, so Wilmore and Williams will catch a ride home on SpaceX’s Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft.

It’s noteworthy that the SpaceX aircraft isn’t expected to launch until September 2024. NASA administrator Bill Nelson, explained that the decision to wait was reportedly the result of a “commitment to safety.”

“The bottom line with respect to bring Starliner back was that there was just too much uncertainty in the prediction of the thrusters,” Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, said during a press conference on Saturday.

“It was just too much risk with a crew and so we decided to pursue the uncrewed testing,” Stich added in the NASA press conference.