As of today, the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft has no planned return date. While program managers already pushed the original return flight back, they scrapped the latest Wednesday, June 26, target. According to NASA’s most recent blog post on the flight test, the stranded astronauts can continue to stay comfortably at the International Space Station (ISS), which is orbiting 263 miles above Earth. NASA says that while Starliner management addresses issues, the ISS has other pre-planned events on its schedule. One is a spacewalk slated for Tuesday, July 2. Considering all, the Starliner is unlikely to depart before then. Moreover, the blog gave a total possible timeline of mid-August, citing the station’s ample supplies and fairly clear calendar until then.

The ISS has hosted Starliner since early June. During its flight to the station, two of Starliner’s thrusters failed, and multiple leaks sprung. Since docking, the flight and ground crews have been studying data and working to identify and fix these issues ahead of the return flight to Earth.

The goal of the third Boeing Starliner Flight Test is to establish a reliable spacecraft and operating crew to work alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in NASA’s Commercial Crew Progam. As such, it will regularly shuttle humans and cargo to the ISS.

Boeing and SpaceX entered the program as candidates in 2014. Boeing’s first unmanned flight test in 2019 failed to dock at the ISS. After several dozen recommended corrections from NASA, the second test in 2022 made it to the ISS. The Starliner docked for four days before returning to Earth. This latest flight test is the first with a live crew.

The docked and damaged Boeing Starliner spacecraft can technically make a return flight in case of emergency. NASA says it cleared the craft to do so if the crew needed to suddenly leave the ISS and re-enter Earth’s orbit.

Other sources have mentioned that the astronauts could ultimately hitch a ride back to Earth with SpaceX. This could happen if managers deem Starliner unfit to return by the time they absolutely must leave the ISS.

While managers evaluate future return opportunities, the two stranded astronauts help keep house. They’re also assisting the test flight ground crew as needed to fully complete their own mission.

“We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, in the blog dated June 21. “Additionally, given the duration of the mission, it is appropriate for us to complete an agency-level review, similar to what was done ahead of the NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return after two months on orbit, to document the agency’s formal acceptance on proceeding as planned.”

The results of this incident will surely determine whether NASA moves to validate the spacecraft into its program. NASA says it’s working closely with Boeing leadership to ensure a calm, safe return, the latest blog reflects. By pointing out a clear ISS schedule until mid-August, there doesn’t seem to be any rush, either.