NASA's stranded astronauts face more time in space as return is delayed again

NASA’s stranded astronauts are facing more delays to their space mission, and have been told they won’t be back on Earth until spring.

NASA announced the latest delay to Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ rescue mission on Tuesday, more than six months after they rocketed into orbit in Boeing’s Starliner capsule.

The two test pilots had planned on being away for just a week or so when they blasted off on Boeing’s first astronaut flight to the International Space Station, on June 5.

Their mission was extended from eight days to eight months, after problems with the capsule meant NASA decided to send it back from the space station empty in September.

Williams and Wilmore in Cape Canaveral before liftoff on June 5. / Credit: AP

The two astronauts stayed behind because the capsule, plagued with thruster failures and helium leaks, was too risky for them to ride back in.

Now the pair likely will not return until March or April, because of a delay in launching their replacements, extending their trip to over ten months.

A fresh crew needs to launch before the two astronauts can return, according to the space agency.

Wilmore and Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station. / Credit: AP

The next crew of four astronauts was supposed to launch in February, which would allow Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams to return by the end of that month. But SpaceX said they need more time to prepare the brand new capsule for liftoff, delaying the mission.

NASA said it had considered using a different SpaceX capsule to fly up the replacement crew, in order to keep flights on schedule, but eventually decided against it.

Wilmore and Williams are now full-time station crew, helping with routine maintenance and experiments. While both astronauts have been on the space station before, typically most missions last six months, with very few reaching a full year.