CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two stuck astronauts just got their space mission extended again. That means they won’t be back until spring.
NASA said Tuesday that a fresh crew needs to launch from Florida before Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can return from the International Space Station. This new crew was supposed to launch in February, but SpaceX needs more time to prepare the brand new capsule for flight. That launch is now scheduled for no earlier than late March.
Wilmore and Williams planned on being away for just over one week when they blasted off June 5 on Boeing’s first astronaut flight to the ISS. If the two pilots are able to return in March, the near one week trip to space will turn into 9 months.