Starliner Issues Extend NASA Astronauts' ISS Mission

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who traveled to the International Space Station aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule in June for what was intended to be a short mission, will not return to Earth until at least late March 2025. The delay comes as SpaceX requires more time to prepare a new Dragon capsule for the Crew-10 mission, which has been rescheduled from February to March. This extension will result in a ten-month mission for the astronauts due to prior issues with the Starliner, including helium leaks and thruster failures, which led NASA to send the capsule back empty in September. NASA initially considered using an alternative SpaceX capsule to maintain the schedule but opted to wait for the new Dragon to ensure a smoother transition between crews. The handover period is critical for the continuation of ongoing science experiments and maintenance. Despite the delay, NASA assures that the ISS is well-supplied for the extended mission.