Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, on board Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, face an uncertain return date after issues with helium leaks and thruster outages prolonged their mission beyond its initial timeframe.

NASA and Boeing are working to ensure the spacecraft’s safety for their return, with NASA considering extending the mission from 45 to 90 days.

Engineers are conducting ground tests in New Mexico to understand the thruster failures encountered during the journey to the International Space Station, CNN reported.

Despite challenges, Williams and Wilmore continue to perform routine tasks alongside the station’s crew.

Written by B.C. Begley