Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have hit six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), far exceeding their planned one-week mission due to delays with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Issues such as thruster malfunctions and helium leaks have postponed their return to Earth. NASA is considering SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as an alternative if Starliner remains unready, targeting February 2025 for their return.
Prolonged space stays pose physical challenges, including muscle loss and radiation exposure, but advanced ISS equipment helps mitigate these effects.
