The Starliner astronauts stranded in space for nine months

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

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Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

19% left · 71% center · 10% right of 165 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 48 stories.

Every storyoldest first

1. May 2024

   May 2– 6Watch live: Boeing launches the Starliner with NASA astronauts aboard13 articles · 10 independent sources

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2. May 4Boeing on the verge of launching astronauts aboard new capsule13 articles · 13 independent sources

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3. May 6– 7Boeing Starliner crewed mission postponed until at least Friday18 articles · 15 independent sources

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4. May 6– 8Boeing calls off its first astronaut launch because of valve issue on rocket17 articles · 15 independent sources

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5. May 14Helium leak delays Boeing’s historic Starliner mission at least another week5 articles · 5 independent sources

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6. May 22Boeing Starliner historic crewed launch delayed again indefinitely9 articles · 9 independent sources

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7. May 24Boeing’s 1st astronaut flight now set for June after a review of small leak on new capsule8 articles · 8 independent sources

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8. June 2024

   Jun 1Watch Boeing launch NASA astronauts on the company's Starliner spacecraft for the first time27 articles · 11 independent sources

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9. Jun 1– 2Boeing’s first astronaut flight called off at the last minute in latest setback - Boston News, Weather, Sports16 articles · 16 independent sources

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10. Jun 6– 7Boeing Starliner crew aboard ISS after capsule docks despite thruster malfunctions9 articles · 9 independent sources

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11. Jun 6Boeing's astronaut capsule arrives at the space station after thruster trouble10 articles · 7 independent sources

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12. Jun 6Boeing Starliner stable, en route to ISS despite 3 helium leaks discovered during test launch19 articles · 9 independent sources

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13. Jun 18– 22NASA has again delayed Boeing Starliner’s return to Earth15 articles · 13 independent sources

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14. July 2024

    Jul 10Astronauts confident Boeing space capsule can safely return them to Earth, despite failures23 articles · 21 independent sources

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15. Jul 25– 26NASA says no return date yet for astronauts and troubled Boeing capsule at space station28 articles · 11 independent sources

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16. August 2024

    Aug 7– 8NASA says chances are growing that astronauts may switch from Boeing to a SpaceX ride back to Earth9 articles · 9 independent sources

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17. Aug 7NASA delays next crew launch to buy more time at the space station for Boeing's troubled capsule10 articles · 4 independent sources

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18. Aug 8– 9Could 2 NASA astronauts be stuck at the space station until next year? Here's what to know16 articles · 14 independent sources

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19. Aug 23– 25NASA decision against using a Boeing capsule to bring astronauts back adds to company's problems15 articles · 13 independent sources

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20. Aug 23– 26Stranded in Space: Astronauts To Wait for SpaceX Voyage Home34 articles · 27 independent sources

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21. Aug 23– 25NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule47 articles · 30 independent sources

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22. Aug 24– 25NASA astronauts who will spend extra months at the space station are veteran Navy pilots10 articles · 10 independent sources

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23. Aug 30NASA finally gives Boeing Starliner capsule a return date. But it will fly home without its crew11 articles · 9 independent sources

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24. Aug 30– 31NASA cuts 2 from next SpaceX flight to make room for astronauts stuck at space station27 articles · 16 independent sources

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25. September 2024

    Sep 2– 3Stranded Astronauts Report Creepy Sounding Noises Coming From Boeing's Starliner18 articles · 13 independent sources

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26. Sep 4– 72 Astronauts are Left Behind in Space as Boeing’s Troubled Capsule Returns to Earth Empty25 articles · 20 independent sources

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27. Sep 6– 7With no crew aboard, spacecraft Starliner lands without a hitch8 articles · 7 independent sources

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28. Sep 6– 9Boeing Starliner Returns Home With No Crew: NASA Expert Explains Why48 articles · 35 independent sources

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29. Sep 17– 20Elon Musk says the FAA should make Boeing pay for putting the Starliner astronauts at risk, not fine SpaceX 'for trivia'13 articles · 9 independent sources

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30. Sep 28– 29SpaceX launches rescue mission for 2 NASA astronauts who are stuck in space until next year59 articles · 40 independent sources

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31. Sep 29– 30Stuck NASA astronauts welcome SpaceX capsule that'll bring them home next year - The Daily Reporter37 articles · 26 independent sources

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32. October 2024

    Oct 24– 254 astronauts return to Earth after being delayed by Boeing's capsule trouble and Hurricane Milton14 articles · 14 independent sources

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33. December 2024

    Dec 5NASA's stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to go6 articles · 6 independent sources

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34. Dec 17– 18NASA's 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March28 articles · 15 independent sources

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35. January 2025

    Jan 16NASA's stuck astronaut steps out on spacewalk after 7 months in orbit22 articles · 14 independent sources

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36. Jan 30NASA's 2 stuck astronauts take their first spacewalk together12 articles · 12 independent sources

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37. February 2025

    Feb 11– 12NASA's 2 stuck astronauts may return to Earth sooner under new plan19 articles · 12 independent sources

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38. March 2025

    Mar 4– 5NASA's 2 Stuck Astronauts Are Finally Closing in on Their Return to Earth After 9 Months in Space14 articles · 11 independent sources

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39. Mar 12– 14New crew launches to space station, kicking off long-awaited return process for two NASA astronauts11 articles · 9 independent sources

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40. Mar 12– 13SpaceX delays flight to replace NASA's stuck astronauts after launch pad problem25 articles · 17 independent sources

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41. Mar 14– 16SpaceX Crew Dragon arrives at ISS to rescue stranded astronauts6 articles · 5 independent sources

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42. Mar 15– 17NASA's stuck astronauts welcome their newly arrived replacements to the space station52 articles · 30 independent sources

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43. Mar 16– 19NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams return to Earth after 9 months stuck in space123 articles · 68 independent sources

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44. Mar 18NASA's Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally returning home after nine months in space10 articles · 4 independent sources

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45. Mar 31NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams join first press conference since return to Earth5 articles · 4 independent sources

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46. August 2025

    Aug 7Astronaut Butch Wilmore retires from NASA less than 5 months after 286-day spaceflight5 articles · 5 independent sources

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47. January 2026

    Jan 21NASA astronaut who was stuck at the space station for months retires within a year of returning22 articles · 12 independent sources

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48. February 2026

    Feb 19– 20NASA boss blasts Boeing and space agency managers for Starliner's botched astronaut flight11 articles · 10 independent sources

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