Two NASA astronauts stuck in space have flown long missions before

AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The two astronauts left behind at the International Space Station have both flown long space missions before. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been at the space station since June after arriving as the first crew of Boeing’s new Starliner capsule. But their trip to the orbiting laboratory was marred by thruster troubles and helium leaks. NASA decided it was too risky to return them on Starliner. So the capsule flew back to Earth late Friday night without them, landing on autopilot in the New Mexico desert. The astronauts will ride home with SpaceX next year.