Originally scheduled for a short mission, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for over eight months. They launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule last June for what was meant to be a one-week test flight. However, their return was delayed due to technical issues with the spacecraft.

Prolonged exposure to microgravity leads to various physiological changes, including muscle atrophy and a decrease in bone density

Speaking to media reporters from space, the two astronauts said that they will return after the Crew-10 mission begins their journey from Earth to the ISS on March 12 for the six-month-long mission.