They went to space for eight days - and could be stuck until 2025 (2024)

When two American astronauts blasted off on a test mission to the International Space Station on 5 June, they were expecting to be back home in a matter of days.

But things didn't quite go to plan.

In fact, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams are still there, floating high above the Earth nearly two months later.

The pair - who are stuck indefinitely - now face the sudden prospect of missing the summer entirely and even spending Christmas and New Year in space.

Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, flew a Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the station. It was the first flight of its kind with people on board and was a test designed to see how the new spacecraft performs before it is used more regularly.

Problems, however, emerged as it made its approach. These included leaks in its propulsion system and some of its thrusters shutting down.

So while they made it to the space station safely, they will need an alternative mode of transport to get home if the Starliner is not deemed safe to return to Earth.

At a news briefing on Wednesday, Nasa officials said no firm decisions had been made when it comes to next steps.

"Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner," Steve Stich, manager of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program, said. "However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.”

One potential option being considered, they said, is to attach the two astronauts to a mission that is scheduled to launch in September, and return them to earth with that mission in February 2025.

That flight to the space station will be made by a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft. The initial plan was for four crew members to be aboard, but two of the seats could be left empty if needed.

That plan would mean the astronauts would spend more than eight months – rather than eight days – aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

If the Crew Dragon is used, the Starliner craft would be returned to Earth without any crew, under computer control.

Nasa officials said it could take a week or more for a final decision to be made.

Ken Bowersox, Nasa's director of space operations, told reporters the chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two.”"That's why we're looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it," he said.

Using a SpaceX craft to return the astronauts would be a blow to Boeing, which has for years tried to compete with the company and its more experienced Crew Dragon.

Earlier this week, Nasa used a SpaceX rocket to deliver more food and supplies to the ISS, including extra clothes for the two astronauts.

Last month, in a short press briefing, the pair said they were "absolutely confident” in the return trip and Starliner was “truly impressive.”

This is the third stint aboard the ISS for Ms Williams, a retired Navy helicopter pilot, while Mr Wilmore is a former fighter jet pilot who has been to space twice before.

“We've been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew,” Ms Williams told reporters during a recent briefing call.

“It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team," she said. "So yeah, it’s great to be up here.”

Boeing was hoping that the maiden Starliner mission would pave the way for regular use of its capsule for missions back and forth to the station. The Space X Crew Dragon has been approved for Nasa missions since 2020.

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Although the astronauts will spend much more time in space than they initially planned, others have spent much longer periods above the Earth's surface. Russian Valeri Polyakov spent 437 days in space in aboard the Mir space station in the mid-1990s.

Last year, Frank Rubio returned from the ISS after 371 days, the longest time an American has spent in space.

And Russia's Oleg Kononenko, also currently aboard the ISS, is the first person to have spent more than 1,000 days in space during the course of their career.

In their briefings and interviews, the two Americans have been upbeat about their situation. "I’m not complaining that we’re here for a couple extra weeks," Ms Williams said last month.

As things stand, the pair may be there for many more weeks to come.

They went to space for eight days - and could be stuck until 2025 (2024)

FAQs

What will happen in 2025 in space? ›

Spaceflight in 2025 promises to follow the 2020s trend of record breaking orbital launches and increased developments in lunar, Mars and low-earth orbit exploration. The Artemis 2 mission is scheduled to carry four astronauts to perform a flyby of the Moon in 2025.

How long will the astronauts be stuck in space? ›

NASA may ask two of those astronauts to stay behind so that Wilmore and Williams can take their seats on the return flight. That flight is scheduled to return to Earth in February 2025. NASA said Wednesday it is still deciding whether to keep Williams and Wilmore at the International Space Station until then.

Why are they stuck in space? ›

Originally planned to last just eight days, leaks and other technical issues suffered by Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station have delayed the planned return flight by more than two months. And that has left its two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, stuck in space.

Which astronauts are stuck in space? ›

The ISS is currently home to the Expedition 71 crew, and two Nasa astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni William, who are stuck on the station due to safety concerns over the Boeing Starliner capsule meant to take them home.

What does NASA hope to do by 2025? ›

The Artemis II launch in 2025 will be the first crewed mission on NASA's path to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. “Kennedy also continues launching the science missions that study Earth and our solar system, as well as sending crews and cargo to the International Space Station.

What happens every 176 years in space? ›

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Alignment

Calculations reveal it is possible for a spacecraft launched in the late 1970s to visit all four giant outer planets, using the gravity of each planet to swing the spacecraft on to the next. This alignment occurs once every 176 years.

Has a human been left in space? ›

Thankfully, an astronaut being irretrievably stranded away from their spacecraft has never happened before. The first astronaut to float away from the safety of their ship without a tether was Bruce McCandless, who reached 320 feet away from the Challenger space shuttle on February 7, 1984.

Will space come to an end? ›

Current observations suggest that the expansion of the universe will continue forever. The prevailing theory is that the universe will cool as it expands, eventually becoming too cold to sustain life.

Why can't you fly in space? ›

The higher you go, the less air there is, so as airplanes go higher and higher, they need to go faster and faster to stay aloft. Additionally, the jet engines of airplanes actually work by sucking air through them. All of this means that for almost all airplanes, space flight is impossible.

Who went to space till now? ›

Chronology of Notable Astronauts
namemissionaccomplishment
Dennis TitoSoyuz TM-32/ISS/Soyuz TM-31first space tourist
Jerry RossSTS-110 (Atlantis)/ISSfirst person to fly into space seven times
Yang LiweiShenzhou 5first Chinese astronaut in space
Michael MelvillSpaceShipOnefirst private spaceflight
34 more rows
Aug 8, 2024

Who stayed longer in space? ›

Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov still holds the all-time record for the most days spent in space in one go. He was onboard Russia's Mir space station for 437 continuous days in orbit between 1994 and 1995.

Who actually went to space? ›

Table
#NameNationality
1Yuri GagarinSoviet Union
2Alan Shepard ◉▲United States
3Virgil Grissom ◉United States
4Gherman TitovSoviet Union
102 more rows

What big events are happening in 2025? ›

January 13 – The 2025 Winter World University Games will be held in Turin, Italy. January 20 – The winners of the 2024 United States presidential election are scheduled to be inaugurated as President and Vice President of the United States. February 9 – The 2025 Ecuadorian general election is scheduled to be held.

What planets will be visible in 2025? ›

On Feb. 28, 2025, Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars will align, marking the next time people will be able to see seven planets visible in the sky at once, per the site. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn will also align on Aug.

What comet will be visible in 2025? ›

C/2024 G3 (ATLAS): Brightest Comet of 2025? ☄️ In January 2025, comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) will get closest to the Sun and might reach naked-eye visibility. According to some estimates, it may even become visible during the daytime!

What will happen in 2030 space? ›

In 2030, all companies will benefit from the data, insights and services available from space, without necessarily owning and operating assets. We will know people who have been to space as tourists. People will be on the Moon developing an extended presence in deep space.

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