A NASA official has offered some background on why astronauts Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore have had to stay in space for nine months after their original plan to return home fell through.

Wilmore and Williams had to settle in for the long haul on board the International Space Station last June, after what should have been an eight-day mission was scuppered when the Boeing spacecraft intended to bring them back was determined to be unsafe.

Now, the end is finally in sight for the two astronauts as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 ship is set to arrive at the ISS and bring them home in a matter of days.

However, there have been some mixed reports on exactly why it’s taken so long to get Wilmore and Williams back to solid ground.

On December 17, NASA said the return would have to take place in March so it could work with SpaceX to finish a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission.

Then, in an interview with Joe Rogan released on February 28, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed his company could have brought the astronauts back ‘way sooner’, but the delay was a matter of ‘politics’. Previously, former NASA administrator Bill Nelson claimed ‘politics has not played any part in this decision’.

Wilmore and Williams set off on their mission in June 2024 (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Kenneth Bowersox, the associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, has now helped to clear things up as he offered a new explanation in a teleconference last Friday. It turns out, NASA simply couldn’t afford the mission.

He explained: “The SpaceX folks helped us folks – helped us with a lot of options on how we would bring Sunny and Butch home on Dragon [a capsule] in a contingency.

“They’ve been so helpful this last year, coming up with those options. When it comes to adding on missions or bringing a capsule home early, those were always options.”

However, despite having a number of options available to them, Bowersox said NASA ‘ruled them out pretty quickly’.

The astronauts are set to return on a SpaceX ship (NASA)

Bowersox explained: “This was] just based on how much money we’ve got in our budget, and the importance of keeping crews on the International Space Station. They’re an important part of maintaining the station.”

NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate added: “The best option was really the one that we’re embarking upon now.”

The space agency’s comments also received backing from Bill Gerstenmaier, the vice president for SpaceX, who explained that delaying the return until March allowed for the astronauts to be used ‘in a very productive manner’ which allowed them to ‘keep the science going’.

The daughter of Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, who has been stuck in space for the past nine months, has spoken out amid continued delays with her astronaut dad’s return to normal civilization.

Sunita Williams and Wilmore were initially launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force on June 5 last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission.

But those keeping track of their story will know it’s been anything but.

As the capsule they were in approached the International Space Station (ISS), its thrusters malfunctioned, leaving them stranded.

While they have been up in space for such a long time, Williams and Wilmore have managed to keep themselves busy on the ISS.

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have been stuck in space for nine months (NASA)

They have both been tasked with jobs during their time up there, while space-walks have also been common – but they’ll certainly be happy to return to Earth when they emerge from a SpaceX capsule this month.

Daryn Wilmore, Wilmore’s 16-year-old daughter, has blamed ‘negligence’ and ‘a lot of politics’ for the reason as to why her dad is still up in space.

Originally speaking in a post last month, Daryn said: “He’s missed out on a lot. It’s less the fact that he’s up there sometimes; it’s more the fact of why.

“There’s a lot of politics, there’s a lot of things that I’m not at liberty say in that I don’t know fully about. But there’s been issues, there’s been negligence. It’s just been issue after issue after issue.”

While Daryn hasn’t seen her father for the best part of nine months, she speaks to her astronaut dad daily and is looking forward to seeing him in person later this month, if all goes to plan.

Wilmore’s daughter has been speaking out (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

She added: “Recently we found out he will most likely be coming back in mid-March, which is so exciting, and I miss him so much, and I can only wait to hug his neck and see my sister graduate high school and see the show I’m in right now.

“But, fingers crossed, things could always change and especially with this whole thing. We’ve had so many changes. He’s just been bummed, but he’s fine. My dad has always been resilient.”

When Wilmore and Williams are back on home soil, they will have to wait before they can go back to normal family life, as they will initially be sent off to for medical evaluations having spent nine months up in space.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, has warned the astronauts could need up to six weeks of rehabilitation until they ultimately regain their previous strength.

A doctor has detailed what the NASA astronauts stranded in space will face once they have finally returned to Earth.

Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore were initially launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force on June 5 last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission – but it has been anything but.

As the capsule they were in approached the International Space Station (ISS), its thrusters malfunctioned, leaving them stranded.

The astronauts have managed to keep themselves busy up there with jobs and space-walks, but they’ll certainly be happy to return to Earth when they emerge from a SpaceX capsule on either March 19 or 20.

When Wilmore and Williams are back on home soil they will immediately be sent off to for medical evaluations having spent the best part of nine months up in space.

The astronauts have been stuck in space since June last year (NASA)

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, has warned the astronauts could need up to six weeks of rehabilitation until they ultimately regain their previous strength.

The first phase of their rehabilitation will reportedly focus on walking and muscle strengthening as officials worry Williams and Wilmore may have been exposed to space radiation.

Dr Gupta said: “If I was their physician, I would think about a more proactive strategy for cancer screening. We want to take a different approach here, given that they had such a unique exposure history.”

Meanwhile, biomedical engineer Dr. John Jaquish added: “The human body needs the Earth’s gravitational pull, and in an absence of that, a lot of things are not functioning correctly.”

It’s important to consider space radiation because it’s very different to the kinds we experience here on Earth.

Studies have found astronauts in space have increased lifetime risk for cancer, central nervous system effects, and degenerative diseases – so you can see why Williams and Wilmore are heading straight to the medical centre upon their return.

The astronauts are heading straight to the medical centre once they are back on Earth (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

To reduce their risk, the astronauts have been working during their time on the ISS and have continued to conduct physical exercise during their time in space.

Williams admitted recently that being in space for so long has meant she’s forgotten how to do basic human functions, like walking.

Speaking on a call to students at Needham High School in Massachusetts, she said: “I’ve been up here long enough, right now I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk. I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down.”

After completing the initial baby steps with phase one of their rehabilitation programme, the astronauts will work on improving the strength of their body and look into cardio reconditioning, according to the Mail.

NASA has shared an update on the astronauts stranded on the ISS, admitting they ‘really should be making a call’ on how to bring them home.

In June, astronauts Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams embarked on what was just meant to be an eight-day mission, but things didn’t go to plan.

As they were flying to the International Space Station (ISS) they encountered several problems with the capsule.

The Boeing Starliner experienced five helium leaks, while five manoeuvring thrusters went dead.

The pair are now aboard the ISS with other astronauts, but they have no means of getting home currently.

While they may be stuck up in space for the time being, Wilmore and Williams are trying to keep spirits high.

Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams’ mission has been a lot longer than expected. (NASA)

During a recent briefing with reporters, Williams said: “We’ve been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew.

“It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up with the ISS team. So yeah, it’s great to be up here.”

While it was initially feared the pair would have only 72 days at most to survive, it’s now believed the astronauts may not return to Earth until 2025.

Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, recently explained that if tests prove too risky to make the trip home on Starliner, they may be forced to return with SpaceX’s Crew-9 return flight.

The thing is, this won’t be ready to go until February.

NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Ken Bowersox provided a further update on the astronauts during a teleconference on Wednesday (14 August).

The astronauts may not return to Earth until 2025. (NASA)

“We’ve had very honest discussions with each other, and I am not surprised the Boeing team are 100% behind their vehicle,” the NASA guru said.

“But I can also tell you that they want to work with us in a partnership, which the NASA team thinks is important. When we get to a decision, we will work through it together.”

Bowersox added: “It’s getting a lot harder. We’re reaching a point where [by] that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner.

“Butch and Suni are well engaged on the space station. It’s great to be there, enjoying the environment, eating that great space food and being able to look out the window.

“So I know they’re making the best of this time, but I’m sure they’re eager for a decision just like the rest of us.”