Overview

• NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, originally scheduled for an eight-day mission, have been on the ISS since June 2024 due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
• The Starliner returned to Earth unmanned in September 2024 after technical failures, leaving Williams and Wilmore awaiting a new return vehicle.
• SpaceX's Crew Dragon mission, planned to bring a replacement crew and facilitate their return, was halted shortly before launch due to a hydraulic system issue on the ground.
• No new launch date has been confirmed, though NASA and SpaceX indicate the next opportunity could be as soon as Thursday evening.
• The extended stay of the astronauts has drawn political criticism, with NASA and the astronauts refuting claims they were abandoned for political reasons.