Part 2/7:
The astronauts were originally on board Boeing's Starliner capsule, which made its crew debut last June. However, due to a series of technical difficulties, NASA determined the Starliner was too risky to carry crew members back to Earth, resulting in an empty return flight. Compounding their situation, a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule—initially slated to ferry replacements—encountered delays, leaving Wilmore and Williams in a precarious limbo.