NASA provides crucial update on when astronauts trapped in space will return to Earth — and why they could be burned to a crisp sooner

NASA said it needs at least another week to determine how long the astronauts stranded in space will be stuck in space due to Boeing’s malfunctioning spacecraft.

In a major update, space agency officials reiterated last week’s message that one of the most likely options is to attach them to another mission that would bring them home in February 2025.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were originally scheduled to stay in space for just eight days when they launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June. But a problem with the spacecraft’s propulsion system means it’s not safe to undock and bring them home.

NASA Officials said their biggest concern is that the Starliner will burn up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, burning up everyone on board.

“That’s why we’re looking so closely at the jet engines and even thinking about how the larger jet engines work,” they said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The plan for February 2025 calls for the astronauts to be deployed on a mission involving Elon Musk’s Space X Dragon spacecraft.

The launch is scheduled for September and return to Earth in February of that year.

If they choose the SpaceX route, it will pose additional health risks for the astronauts.

Each additional day astronauts spend in space exposes them to more radiation, which can lead to cancer later in life.

The ISS has shielding to reduce the amount of space radiation astronauts are exposed to, but they still receive about 365 times more radiation than we do here on Earth.

In addition, the spacesuits Williams and Wilmore traveled in on their way to the ISS would not be suitable for Crew Dragon, meaning the astronauts would not have to make the trip home in those suits, officials said.

Without the protection provided by spacesuits, Williams and Wilmore could face additional hazards on the return flight.

But there are also risks associated with a return with Boeing’s Starliner, which suffered from numerous technical problems before, during and after its launch to the ISS in June.

According to NASA, there is a chance that Boeing’s failed Starliner could still return Williams and Wilmore to Earth, despite the spacecraft’s many technical problems.

Williams and Wilmore expected to return to Earth in about a week. But thruster failures and helium leaks on Starliner prompted NASA and Boeing to keep the two astronauts in space longer, fearing a trip back on the spacecraft could end in disaster.

Despite these problems, Boeing hopes that their spacecraft can still return to Earth with Wilmore and Williams on board.

“We continue to believe in Starliner’s capabilities and flight rationale. If NASA decides to change the mission, we will take the necessary steps to configure Starliner for an unmanned return,” a Boeing spokesperson previously told DailyMail.com in an emailed statement.

NASA also remains confident in Starliner’s capabilities.

Officials said the fact that astronauts can spend weeks aboard the International Space Station means they have time to troubleshoot the spacecraft’s technical issues.

“We’ve had very honest conversations with each other and I’m not surprised that the Boeing team is 100 percent behind their vehicle,” said Ken Bowersox, deputy director of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.

“But I can also tell you that they want to work with us in a partnership. What the NASA team thinks is important, and when we come to a decision, we will work through it together,” he added.

But an expert told the BBC that some NASA decision-makers are likely still unconvinced.

Officials had previously indicated that they would make a decision on the return plan in mid-August, but the deadline for making a decision has been pushed back to the last week of the month.

But that there is ‘no sharp boundary’.

According to NASA Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba, astronauts like Williams and Wilmore “go on missions with full knowledge of the different scenarios and outcomes that could become reality.”

“This mission was a test flight… they knew this mission might not be perfect,” he said.

At the moment, things seem to be going ‘fine’ for Williams and Wilmore.

“Right now I can see them working on the ISS from my office,” Abaca said, adding that they are now fully integrated into the space station crew.

“But we’re human,” he said. “And this is hard on the crew and their families, and we’re taking that into account.”