2 astronauts stuck in space due to several issues during flight

Two astronauts are currently stuck in space and would need to stay there for several more months due to multiple issues during their trip.

According to Associated Press, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams have been on the International Space Station since late June. It was supposed to be an eight-day mission, but their troubled capsule caused them to stay there for a longer period of time.

The media outlet reported that Scott Hubbard, a former executive of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, confirmed the astronauts are "kind of stuck" in space but are safe and complete with supplies. ISS program manager Dana Weigel also noted that the two are "fully trained" for their extended flight.

NASA is now looking for ways to bring them back. It's set to issue a decision by mid-August as to whether Wilmore and Williams can return on board Starliner, or if they will have to wait for their retrieval by a SpaceX craft. 

"Butch and Suni are ready to do whatever we need them to do," said Steve Stich, a senior NASA official, earlier this week. 

Both astronauts have worked as test pilots for the US Navy, and each has already flown to the ISS twice before. 

AP reported that the flight marked the first time for Boeing to launch astronauts after flying around two Starliners without anyone on board. It faced some issues during its test runs, including a leak in propulsion-related plumbing. Boeing and NASA, however, found that it was "stable and isolated" so they pushed through with the flight.

But four more leaks developed the following day, just as Starliner approached the ISS. "Five thrusters also failed," per AP.

The news agency said the capsule ended up docking safely and four of the thrusters "ultimately worked."