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NASA has announced plans to decide soon on how to bring home two astronauts currently stranded on the International Space Station.

What’s the deal: Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams have been on the International Space Station (ISS) for over 60 days, despite their mission originally being planned for just one week after launching on June 5, 2024. They are part of Boeing’s first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, which has faced numerous technical problems, including helium leaks, faulty thrusters, and software bugs. These issues have caused multiple delays as crews on Earth work to troubleshoot problems.

The backup plan: NASA is considering an alternative plan to use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft to bring the stranded astronauts back to Earth. This plan would involve launching the Crew-9 mission with only two astronauts instead of the usual four, making room for Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams to return to Earth. If NASA opts for this, the astronauts will stay at the International Space Station until February 2025, when the Crew Dragon will return to Earth.

What NASA is saying: During a press conference, NASA Administrator Ken Bowersox stated, “We have time before bringing Starliner home, and we want to use it wisely.” However, Bowersox also mentioned having “very honest conversations” with Boeing, indicating that they should make a decision by the last week of August, if not sooner.

The concern: NASA’s main concern with using the Starliner to bring the astronauts back to Earth is the malfunctioning thrusters, essential for maintaining the spacecraft’s orientation during re-entry. These thrusters must work properly to keep the capsule in the correct position as it descends through Earth’s atmosphere.