Two U.S. astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for months, provided an update on their extended stay. Initially, they were expected to spend just eight days aboard the ISS after arriving in June via Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. However, technical issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system forced NASA to change their return plans, pushing their departure to March 2025 at the earliest.

Despite the unexpected extension, both astronauts remain upbeat. Williams mentioned that their spirits are high, noting that while they miss their families, they still have plenty to do aboard the ISS. Wilmore reassured that their food supply is adequate, and both astronauts are comfortable with their clothes, as the zero-gravity environment reduces the need for laundry.

After the propulsion issues with the Starliner spacecraft, NASA decided to bring Wilmore and Williams back home with the crew of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission, who arrived at the ISS in late September. The plan now is for the four astronauts to return together in February 2025. However, this timeline was delayed last month when NASA announced Crew-10 would replace Crew-9, resulting in a new launch schedule for March 2025.

In total, Wilmore and Williams will spend over nine months in space, and both astronauts are looking forward to sharing their experiences when they finally return to Earth.