Two NASA astronauts face being trapped in space until 2025.
![Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams could be trapped in space until next year](/image-library/partners/bang/land/1000/b/barry-butch-wilmore-and-sunita-suni-williams-could-be-trappe.jpg)
Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams could be trapped in space until next year
Commander Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and pilot Sunita 'Suni' Williams were due to have returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) by now but safety issues with their capsule, which suffered from thruster failures before docking, means their mission has been extended indefinitely.
The duo may have to remain in orbit until February next year should NASA bring them back to Earth using a SpaceX flight rather than risk using the unsafe Starliner capsule.
A final decision will be made by the space agency later this month but Williams - who is on her third stint aboard the ISS - is in no rush to return to Earth despite having been in space since June.
She said during a recent briefing call: "We've been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew.
"It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team.
"So yeah, it's great to be up here."