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IT Home reported on August 15 that NASA has once again postponed its decision on how to send two American astronauts trapped in space back to Earth. NASA said at a press conference on Wednesday that it will make a final decision on the specific method and time for the astronauts to return to Earth before the end of August. Officials also said,The astronauts' space suits are not suitable for wear on other spacecraft that may serve as replacement spacecraft.。

NASA also stated,The two astronauts are "doing very well", and is prepared to perform high-risk missions when heading into space.

According to IT Home, 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 was repeatedly postponed. This is the first manned test flight of the Starliner.

One alternative way for them to return to Earth is on a SpaceX spacecraft that will launch in the fall.A more likely option is to take a SpaceX flight early next year., which will extend the original eight-day mission to eight months.

Changing the way astronauts return to Earth won't be easy, however. NASA officials said Wednesday that astronauts' space suits are not interchangeable.If they return on an earlier SpaceX flight, they will not be able to wear SpaceX's special space suits., which could put them at additional risk. If they take a later flight, in early 2025, there will be time for the delivery of suitable space suits.

Simon Barber, a space scientist at the Open University, told BBC News that either way, returning on a SpaceX spacecraft seemed inevitable.

Boeing has repeatedly said it has every confidence that Starliner can safely return the two astronauts home. NASA officials said "significant discussions" are ongoing about how to get the crew back. The agency reiterated thatThey are "fully confident" that the Starliner can be used to return astronauts to Earth in an emergency.

Boeing and SpaceX have received multi-billion dollar contracts from NASA to provide commercial spaceflight services for its astronauts. So far, SpaceX has flown nine manned missions for NASA, but this is Boeing's first attempt at a manned flight. If the two astronauts are eventually forced to return on a SpaceX spacecraft and wear SpaceX's spacesuits, it will be a huge embarrassment for Boeing.

NASA officials also said they have brought in outside experts in propulsion systems to analyze data from the failed spacecraft, and they will continue to do so before making a decision.