Locked in Orbit: the Stories of Astronauts Stuck in Space

In more than 60 years of space exploration, human spaceflight has evolved from something magical and epoch-making to a usual routine job. However, despite all the advances in science and technology, this job still carries a lot of risk. Sometimes, missions don’t go as planned, and there can be a situation when an astronaut is trapped in space and unable to return home for weeks or even months. 

In June 2024, the Boeing Starliner spacecraft malfunctioned, leaving two NASA astronauts stranded on the ISS for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, this is not the first time a backup plan has been needed to get the crew back to Earth. In this article, we’ll discuss all the astronauts stuck in space and the reasons behind their situation.

When can space become a trap?

Of course, no one is going to endanger either people or expensive equipment during missions. But it is impossible to foresee everything. These are the most likely situations that could cause astronauts to be stuck in space.

Technical malfunctions

The complexity of spacecraft and stations means there is always a risk of technical malfunctions. These could be problems with engines, life support systems, navigation, or communications. Any of these malfunctions could lead to an abnormal situation and, as a result, a delay in returning to Earth.

Accidents and damage

Despite all precautions, accidents can happen in space. A collision with space debris, damage to the coating by a meteorite, or failure of critical systems can all endanger the lives of the crew and make it impossible to return home on time.

Medical problems

The astronauts’ health is one of the most important factors for the mission’s success. If any of the crew members develop serious health problems that require immediate medical attention, their return to Earth may be delayed until their condition is stabilised.

Natural disasters

Space is not only a beautiful place but also a dangerous one. Solar flares, meteor showers, and other phenomena can make returning to Earth unsafe and could require waiting for more favourable conditions.

Political factors

Although space is often considered a territory of international cooperation, political conflicts on Earth can affect space programs and complicate the astronauts’ return to their home countries.

“Forgotten” in orbit: the Starliner crewed mission failure

On June 5, 2024, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore launched to the ISS aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft as part of the Boeing Crewed mission. It was the third and most important test flight for Starliner, which NASA has set to make the second American ship to carry astronauts to the ISS since the retirement of the Space Shuttle program. The mission was scheduled to last eight days, after which Sunita Williams and “Butch” Wilmore were supposed to return safely to Earth in the ship’s landing capsule. But something went wrong.

Why are the astronauts stuck in space?

On June 6, as Starliner approached the ISS for a docking manoeuvre, NASA specialists discovered a helium leak in the ship’s service module in the system of low-thrust engines used for manoeuvring. Interestingly, one small helium leak was detected before launch, but during the flight, four more leaks occurred, one of which was quite significant.

Despite the problem, Starliner successfully docked with the ISS, and the astronauts were able to transfer to the station. However, their planned return to Earth was questioned due to the need to conserve helium. As a result, NASA decided to prioritise safety and leave Williams and Wilmore on the ISS until the next ship arrived. Starliner was only safely returned to Earth without a crew three months later, on September 6.

How long will NASA astronauts be stuck in space?

Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are expected to return to Earth in February 2025 on the SpaceX Crew Dragon as part of a rotational mission. Two of the four spots on the Crew Dragon will remain open for Wilmore and Williams. The mission, which was originally scheduled for eight days, is expected to last eight months. During this time, there will be six astronauts on board the station: four on duty and the Boeing astronauts stuck in space.

Do the astronauts stuck in space have enough food?

Fortunately, food is not a problem on the ISS. The station is regularly resupplied with food via cargo ships, so there is always a supply for several months to help the crew cope with unexpected situations, such as a delay in the replacement ship.

In addition, in connection with the extension of Williams and Wilmore’s mission, NASA has already sent additional food supplies to the ISS on the SpaceX Cargo Dragon. So NASA astronauts stuck in the space station will not go hungry and will be able to spend their time comfortably before returning to Earth.

What are the astronauts eating? 

The ISS menu is quite varied and has about 300 items! This includes first and meat dishes, side dishes, desserts, and various snacks. The standard diet is designed for 3200 kcal per day, and dishes are selected considering individual preferences. Want to know more? Read our separate article dedicated to the topic of space food. And we will continue with the story about astronauts stuck in space.

Has anyone else ever got stuck in space?

The Starliner case is not the only one. Throughout the history of manned space flights, astronauts’ return to Earth has been postponed more than once, but fortunately, each time, everything ended well. How many astronauts are stuck in space except the Starliner crew? Let’s discover the names of these forced prisoners.

Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Ryumin (1979) 

On February 25, 1979, Soviet cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Ryumin arrived at the Salyut 6 station as part of the third long-term expedition. Their mission was supposed to last approximately 96 days, but the 2 astronauts were stuck in space for almost half a year.

The mission was initially extended due to a problem with the radio telescope antennas. An antenna became caught on the station’s external structure, requiring an unscheduled spacewalk to free it. Then, the Soyuz 33 spacecraft that had arrived to replace the cosmonauts suffered an engine failure, making the docking impossible, and Soyuz 33 had to be turned back home. Soyuz 32, which had carried Lyakhov and Ryumin, was still docked to Salyut, but Mission Control feared it would have the same engine problems, so it was sent back empty. The cosmonauts ultimately returned to Earth on Soyuz 34 on August 19, 1979, after 175 days in orbit.

Sergei Krikalev (1991-1992)

Soviet cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev departed for the Mir station on May 18, 1991, and was expected to spend about five months on a mission.

However, during this time, the Soviet Union collapsed, getting the astronaut stuck in space. Due to a lack of funds and organisational difficulties associated with the transition from the Soviet to the Russian space program, the arrival of new crews was delayed, and Krikalev had to remain in orbit until March 1992. In the end, he spent 311 days and 20 hours in space, making him the record holder for the longest stay at the time.

What happened to the astronaut who was lost in space for 311 days? Ironically, Krikalev turned out to be the last citizen of the USSR. He safely returned to Earth, but to another country — Russia, and for his services, was awarded the Hero of the Russian Federation.

Don Pettit, Ken Bowersox and Nikolai Budarin (2003)

In March 2003, Expedition 6 astronauts Don Pettit, Ken Bowersox, and Nikolai Budarin were scheduled to return to Earth on the Space Shuttle after a four-month mission. Unfortunately, on February 1, 2003, the Columbia shuttle suffered a landing accident, and NASA grounded the entire shuttle fleet, disrupting the station’s crew rotation schedule. The astronauts were forced to extend their stay on the ISS for 39 days until the Russian Soyuz TMA-1 picked them up.

Maxim Suraev and Jeffrey Williams (2009-2010) 

On October 2, 2009, Roscosmos cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams arrived at the ISS on the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Their mission was scheduled to last 140 days, after which they were supposed to fly home on the Soyuz TMA-17. How are the astronauts stuck in space? The launch of Soyuz TMA-17 was delayed due to technical problems and the need for additional safety checks. Suraev and Williams had to “sit out” on the ISS for 29 days to ensure the continuous presence of the station crew to maintain its operation.

Frank Rubio, Sergey Prokopiev and Dmitry Petelin  (2022-2023)

In December 2022, the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked to the ISS experienced a coolant leak, likely due to a micrometeorite impact. As a result, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Prokopiev and Dmitry Petelin were stuck at the station for six months longer than planned, spending a record 370 consecutive days in space. Interestingly, the next Soyuz arrived at the station in February 2023, but due to difficulties in organising work budgets and shift schedules, the crew remained at the station until September.

Axiom 3 crew (2024)

On January 18, 2024, the SpaceX Crew Dragon safely delivered four astronauts to the ISS as part of the third private Axiom Space mission. The European crew, consisting of Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt, was supposed to return to Earth on February 3, but due to storms near the intended landing site off the coast of Florida, the mission was delayed by seven days. However, the astronauts were not disappointed at all. “More time on the Space Station — more photos!” wrote flight commander Michael López-Alegría on X.

When risk is a noble cause

Space is a dangerous place, but the road is made by walking, and humanity stubbornly continues to challenge this dark but alluring abyss. Astronauts stuck in space expose themselves to great risk by remaining in orbit longer than planned, but many of them view their forced “imprisonment” not as a misfortune but as a gift. After all, only a few are granted the privilege of flying into space twice.

Don Pettit, the astronaut stuck in space for two additional months, said in an interview: “Given the choice of a six-month mission or a one-year mission, I would prefer a one-year mission. People think I’m joking, but I am serious when I say that if we had the technology, I would load my family and myself on the next rocket, and we would immigrate into space and never come back to planet Earth.” 

And how would you react if you got stuck in space? 

All astronauts stuck in space throughout space history

№	Year	Mission	Astronauts	Planned time	Time in Space	Cause of delay
1	1979	Salut 6 3-d visiting expedition	Vladimir Lyakhov, Valery Ryumin	96 days	175 days	Unable to dock due to engine failure on the Soyuz 33 spacecraft
2	1991-1992	Mir 9/10	Sergei Krikalev	150 days	311 days	Оrganisational and financial problems due to the collapse of the USSR
3	2003	ISS 6	Nikolai Budarin, Kenneth Bowersox, Donald R. Pettit	122 days	161 days	Suspension of Space Shuttle flights due to the Columbia disaster
4	2009	ISS 22	Maxim Suraev, Jeffrey Williams	140 days	169 days	Postponement of Soyuz TMA 17 launch due to technical problems with the spacecraft
5	2022-2023	ISS 68/69	Frank Rubio, Sergey Prokopiev, Dmitry Petelin	188 days	371 days	Damage to the Soyuz MS 22 spacecraft docked to the ISS due to a micrometeorite hit
6	2024	Axiom-3	Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, Marcus Wandt.	14 days	21 days	Poor weather conditions in the area of the proposed landing site off the coast of Florida
7	2024-2025	Boeing Starliner-3	Barrie “Butch” Wilmore, Sunita Williams	8 days	8 months estimated	Increased risk of undocking and deorbiting manoeuvres due to helium leakage in the low thrust engine system

References and Additional Information:

• Astronauts actually get stuck in space all the time https://www.sciencenews.org/article/astronauts-get-stuck-space-often
• Astronauts Stranded in Space: Rescue Dragon Spacecraft Arrives at ISS https://www.cnet.com/science/astronauts-stranded-in-space-rescue-dragon-spacecraft-arrives/
• The man the Soviet Union left in space https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news-europe-news-the-last-citizen-of-the-soviet-union-7792442/
• SpaceX launches rescue mission for 2 NASA astronauts who are stuck in space until next year https://apnews.com/article/spacex-launch-boeing-nasa-stuck-astronauts-e179d0dc6c77d224278fd0430148ff8b
• 18 Things to Know About Axiom Mission 3 https://www.axiomspace.com/news/category/Ax-3+Mission
• Soyuz brings two station residents back to Earth https://spaceflightnow.com/station/exp22/100318landing.html
• Record-setting astronaut lands with cosmonauts after year on station http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-092723a-soyuz-m23-landing-after-record-year-space-station.html
• Salyut 6 Expedition 3 http://www.spacefacts.de/salyut/english/salyut-6_3.htm