The fate of the astronauts trapped in space is now sealed

NASA has announced that Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who have been stranded on the International Space Station since June 1 during a mission initially scheduled for 8 days, will return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, following the failure of Boeing’s Starliner.

Their return is finally scheduled for February 2025.

The two astronauts were initially launched aboard a Boeing Starliner. However, in-flight mechanical problems extended their stay from eight days to around eight months.

NASA confirmed that the decision to extend the astronauts’ return had been taken for safety reasons, after a careful examination of the situation.

The Starliner’s helium leaks and thruster malfunctions had raised concerns about the aircraft’s reliability for the return flight, despite Boeing’s assurances.

NASA has confirmed that, despite the increased safety of spaceflight, risks still remain. As a result, astronauts will return to Earth… in February 2025.

NASA has announced that it will reserve two seats for the next SpaceX Crew-9 flight, enabling Wilmore and Williams to return safely to Earth.

Boeing, which is experiencing long-standing problems with several of its aircraft models, also faces numerous challenges in its space program. In particular, the Boeing Starliner has experienced problems that have considerably delayed manned flights for several years.

Boeing’s Starliner will return to Earth unmanned in early September.