Two astronauts stranded in space return to Earth in February

Two NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Berry Bach Wilmore, who have been stuck in space for two months, will be returned to Earth in early 2025.

The American space agency NASA held a press conference and announced that SpaceX will return to Earth in February 2025, according to the BBC.

Both passengers boarded the Boeing Starliner aircraft to the International Space Station (ISS). Now they will return without a crew, according to NASA.

Wilmore, 61, and Sunita, 58, flew to the space station last June. They went on an eight-day mission and spent eight months in space.

The Starliner, scheduled to take them back to Earth eight days later, suffered a further malfunction as it neared the ISS, shutting down its five thrusters that steer the craft. As the helium gas ran out, the craft had to rely on fuel.

NASA awarded $4.2 billion to Boeing and $2.6 billion to SpaceX for commercial flights to carry its astronauts into space. So far, SpaceX has successfully completed nine manned flights into space. This is Boeing’s first manned mission.

Engineers at Boeing and NASA spent a long time figuring out the technical problems with the Starliner spacecraft. They have done many tests in space and on earth. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said NASA and Boeing are working together to improve the spacecraft that carried Sunita and Wilmore. He said that a decision has been taken to extend the stay of the two astronauts at the space station till February 2025.

They are set to be brought back by the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX was originally scheduled to carry four astronauts, but now only two astronauts will go to the space station to make room for Sunita and Wilmore. The spacecraft, scheduled for a late September launch, will return in February 2025 to pick up Sunita and Wilmore.