Here’s how stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts are spending their time on the ISS

The stranded Space Station astronauts are busy – making pizza and dressing up as pirates.

Americans Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore found themselves stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) in June when the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they arrived on was deemed unsafe to return.

They expected to spend eight days on the ISS, but are now set to return home in February 2025 in a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

While the astronauts were tasked with scientific tasks, there was little room for fun.

Earlier this month, Williams and Wilmore were spotted making pizza in the ISS gallery located inside the Unity module.

Joined by fellow NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps and Tracy C. Dyson, the team had to secure items and components to the galleys using tape and velcro to keep them from flying away in the microgravity environment.

While on September 19, Suni Williams dressed appropriately while celebrating her birthday during International Talk Like a Pirate Day aboard the International Space Station.

However, Suni Williams will now have more responsibilities after she was named commander of the space station on Sunday (September 22).

A change of command ceremony saw Russian cosmonaut Olog Kononenko hand over command of ISS Expedition 71 to Williams.

NASA said on Tuesday (September 24): “Expedition 72 is officially underway with NASA astronaut Suni Williams as its commander aboard the International Space Station.

“Williams assumed command of the orbital outpost when NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub lifted off from the Prichal docking module on Monday.

Williams, who arrived at the station with NASA flight engineer Butch Wilmore on June 6, will lead orbital mail operations until February, when she and Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth with members of the SpaceX Crew- 9 aboard the Dragon Endurance spacecraft”.

The space agency described new tasks for the pair, adding “Williams was busy Tuesday preparing standard emergency equipment ahead of the upcoming arrival of Crew-9. Wilmore explored how specialized gelling and corrosive substances could lead to advances in pharmaceutical, food and 3D printing industries.