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CCTV reporters learned that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said on the 14th local time that it will make a final decision on the specific method and time of returning the two American astronauts trapped in space to Earth before the end of August.

On June 6, American astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunny Williams arrived at the International Space Station on the Starliner spacecraft. They were originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 14, but due to problems such as spacecraft thruster failure and helium leakage, the return time has been repeatedly postponed. This is the first manned test flight of the Starliner.

Earlier reports:

NASA: American astronauts stranded in space may return on board the manned Dragon spacecraft

On August 7 local time, NASA's Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich said in a conference call with reporters that the mission control center has not yet determined the return date for the American astronauts stranded in space, and said that the manned "Dragon" spacecraft of the US Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) may be used as a backup plan.

Stich said that if the crew of Boeing's Starliner needs SpaceX's manned Dragon spacecraft, both astronauts will join the Crew-9 mission and return in February 2025. At present, NASA has not made a final decision.

On June 6, American astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunny Williams arrived at the International Space Station on the Starliner spacecraft. They were originally scheduled to return to Earth on June 14, but due to problems such as spacecraft thruster failure and helium leakage, the return time has been repeatedly postponed. This is the first manned test flight of the Starliner. As of the 6th of this month, Wilmore and Williams have been stranded at the International Space Station for two months.

Source: CCTV News