Astronauts stuck in space for 49 days by malfunctioning Boeing spacecraft can’t return home for weeks | Space

Two astronauts stranded in space for 49 days – 41 days longer than their planned mission – because their Boeing-build ride home is full of leaks will have to spend at least a few more weeks aboard the International Space Station, officials said Thursday.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were meant to spend just eight days in space following their launch aboard to Boeing Starliner — the maiden crewed voyage for the spacecraft.

Once in space, astronauts found a series of concerning helium leaks and have been testing whether the ship can be used to return them to Earth.

Now, they’re expected to stay in orbit until sometime in August, Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, told reporters.

Before the astronauts can come home, NASA and Boeing experts said they need to complete a final set of tests for Starliner’s thrusters scheduled for this weekend.

Should the thruster tests prove successful and the helium leaks continue to remain stable, then NASA would schedule an agency review next week, which would then set an official date for Wilmore and Williams’ return.

“The…