NASA astronauts could be stuck in space until 2025

When NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore set off to the International Space Station (ISS) in June, the pair expected to be back home just eight days later. However, the astronauts are now stranded on the ISS due to Boeing's faulty Starliner - and have received the horrifying news that they might not come back to Earth until February 2025. NASA has revealed a contingency plan that could launch a SpaceX 's Crew-9 mission in September, but still wouldn't bring the crew home until months later. On social media, concerned fans have reacted with horror at the situation, calling the delay 'torture'.

And for many, the thought of being trapped on the ISS is a terrifying idea, with one commenter simply writing: 'New nightmare unlocked'. Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, flew to the ISS at the beginning of June on board a Boeing Starliner spacecraft. However, problems including helium leaks and thruster failures began to emerge as the spacecraft approached the ISS. Thankfully, the pair managed to dock to the ISS safely, but the problems have scuppered their plans to return to Earth on board the same Boeing Starliner. Tuesday marked the pair's 60the day in space - instead of the intended eight-day mission.

Last week, Boeing said that it 'remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.' It now seems more likely that the Williams and Wilmore will need to wait for the arrival of a SpaceX mission in September. That flight had been planned to take four astronauts to the ISS but two of the seats could be left empty if NASA decides that Starliner is not safe enough for a crewed return. On social media, concerned fans back on Earth have been horrified at Williams and Wilmore's predicament. One commenter wrote: 'Stuck in space for 60 days with no known solution is inhumane and torture.

'Why did y'all teams send those astronauts in the first place? Where is the Change.Org petition to bring back the astronauts?' Another worried commenter wrote: 'Hope they come back alive and tell us about it. Nightmarish. Only happens in movies.' Another commenter likened the situation to that of the Ocean Gate submarine which collapsed while attempting to reach the Titanic . On X, formerly Twitter, the commenter wrote 'It's giving' before attaching a picture of the doomed submersible. While many on social media focussed on the terrifying aspects of the astronaut's ordeal, others pointed out the cinematic qualities of the situation.

'Netflix movie inbound', one commenter wrote. Another added: 'I'd have busted out the window by now... There would be a Netflix special documenting my spiral into madness in Space. At least 6 parts.' Others compared the situation to the plot of Gilligan's Island, a 1960s sitcom in which a group of travelers are shipwrecked after embarking on a 3-hour tour. One commenter wrote: 'Hear me out... I got a really cool new space age twist on Gilligan's Island.' 'It's Gilligan's Island in space', another commenter simply added. As social media watched the drama unfold, many commenters' thoughts naturally turned to possible escape plans.

A number of commenters fixated on the rivalry between Boeing and rival company SpaceX founded by Elon Musk. Both companies are part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP) but while Boeing's Starliner has been mired in failures SpaceX capsules and rockets are used routinely. On X, which is also owned by Mr Musk, one commenter wrote: 'Space X needs to go rescue them.' Another added: 'Elon is going to have to get them isn't he...' 'How much is Elon going to charge for the uber lift home?', another asked jokingly. Meanwhile, one pessimistic commenter joked that it 'might be quicker if the Boeing astronauts just started walking home.'

NASA has so far remained uncommitted on whether a SpaceX rescue mission will be necessary. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Steve Stich, manager of the NASA CCP, told reporters: 'Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. 'However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.' However, experts told MailOnline in June that NASA could be forced to launch a rescue mission, suggesting Elon Musk's SpaceX would be tapped to get it done. Mike Gruntman, professor of astronautics at the University of Southern California, told MailOnline that 'it is more likely that SpaceX would be able to provide an additional launch in the foreseeable future to bring the astronauts back.'

Professor Gruntman continued: 'It is highly unfortunate that Boeing's Starliner, after so much delay with its flight, continues to face problems. 'For decades, Boeing was one of the most admired aerospace and defense companies. It is a true national tragedy.' Problems with Boeing's commercial jets, including turbulence, mechanical issues and tail strikes, have cost the company at least $3 billion. And NASA awarded Boeing a $4.2 billion contract to build Starliner as a taxi for astronauts to the ISS. A meeting this week of NASA's CCP, which oversees Starliner, ended with some officials disagreeing on a plan to accept Boeing's testing data and use Starliner to bring the astronauts home.

'We didn't poll in a way that led to a conclusion,' Mr Stich said. Ken Bowersox, NASA's space operations chief, added: 'We heard from a lot of folks that had concerns, and the decision was not clear.' While no decision has been made on using Starliner or SpaceX's Crew Dragon, NASA has been buying Boeing more time to do more testing and gather more data to build a better case to trust Starliner. Sometime next week is when NASA expects to decide, officials said.

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.