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Quick Facts

- The video circulating online showed the scene when American astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Russian astronauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov were sent back to Earth by the Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2022. It has nothing to do with the two American astronauts stranded in space this year. The online rumors are misleading.

- NASA recently stated that if Boeing's Starliner is still unsafe, the two astronauts stranded in space may return to Earth in February 2025 on SpaceX's Dragon series spacecraft.

Background

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft launched on June 5 this year with two American astronauts, Butch Wilmor and Sunny Williams, to perform the first manned test flight mission, which is the final step in obtaining flight certification for regular commercial space missions from NASA. The spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station on June 6 and was scheduled to leave the International Space Station and return to Earth on the 14th, but later encountered problems such as thruster failure and helium leakage, and the return time was postponed several times. It still remains at the International Space Station.

Recently, a video has been circulating on social platforms with the caption saying, "Unaffected by sanctions, Russian spacecraft has sent American astronauts back to Earth." The statement indicates that Russia has sent back American astronauts stranded in space this year.

Screenshot of online rumor

Check

Where does the video circulating online come from?

The key frames of the video circulated online were captured and reverse searched on Google. The results showed that the original video was actually released by NASA in March 2022 and is not recent news.

Original video released in 2022

According to a report by CBS, American astronaut Mark Vande Hei traveled to the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in April 2021 and returned on March 30, 2022, ending a 355-day orbital flight and becoming the American astronaut with the longest continuous stay at the International Space Station at that time. The report stated, "Despite the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the deterioration of East-West space relations, which meant that Vande Hei might be stranded in space, the American astronauts and crew members eventually returned to Earth as planned."

This time, not only American astronauts returned, NASA said, "American astronaut Mark Vande Hei returned to Earth with Russian astronauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov... The three landed safely by parachute in the southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan."

Screenshot of NASA report

In addition, according to NASA's International Space Station update, American astronaut Frank Rubio completed a single mission of 371 days on the International Space Station on September 27, 2023, breaking the record held by Mark Vande Hei.

Screenshot of NASA's single space flight record

It can be seen that the video circulated on the Internet is actually old news.

What is the current situation of the two American astronauts stranded in space this year?

On August 2, Boeing said in a statement that it "remains confident that Starliner will return with crew on board." "Testing has confirmed that 27 of the 28 Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters are operating normally and have returned to full operational capability."

Screenshot of Boeing’s August 2 statement

However, NASA officials said on August 7 that stranded astronauts Butch Wilmor and Sunny Williams are the first crew members to fly Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. If the Starliner is still considered unsafe to return to Earth, they may return to Earth in February 2025 on SpaceX's Dragon series spacecraft.

The Associated Press reported, "Like Boeing's Starliner, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is also planned to carry four astronauts. NASA said that in order to make room for Wilmor and Williams, it may transfer two of the four astronauts sent to the space station by SpaceX next month, leaving the empty seats for Wilmor and Williams." But adopting this option means they have to wait until the space station mission, which will last at least six months, is over.

Screenshot of the Associated Press report

In summary, the video circulating online shows the return of American astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Russian astronauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov to Earth by the Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2022. It has nothing to do with the two American astronauts stranded in space this year. The online rumor is misleading. NASA recently stated that if Boeing's Starliner is still unsafe, the two astronauts stranded in space may return to Earth in February 2025 on SpaceX's Dragon series spacecraft.