Astronauts could be stuck in space for eight months, Nasa says

By  Brandon Livesay and Emily McGarvey, BBC News, Aug 15: Nasa is giving an update on two American astronauts who are stuck on the International Space Station (ISS)

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore launched into space on 5 June for a mission expected to last eight days - they've been in space for more than two months

The spacecraft that took them there - Boeing's Starliner – has faced technical issues that has halted their return to Earth

Nasa officials have said the duo could be in orbit for eight months if they can't return on the Starliner

The Starliner is still the contingency vehicle if the astronauts need to return to Earth, Nasa officials said

The crew is not in danger but they could be stuck on the station until February 2025

Supplies are on the way to space stationpublished at 19:08 British Summer Time

Joel Montalbano, Nasa's deputy associate administrator, finishes the briefing.

He says a supply vehicle will dock with the International Space Station (ISS) this Saturday. Nasa has said there are no issues with supplies with the extra astronauts at the space station.

That's it from Nasa's update, but stick with us. We have some more updates and analysis on the way.

Astronauts are 'doing great' and keeping busy on the ISS

A reporter asks how astronauts Butch and Suni are doing, given that they went out to the International Space Station (ISS) expecting to be there for eight days, but instead have been there for two months and counting.

Acaba says that because it is a test flight into space, there is always an expectation that it could go on longer than anticipated.

He adds that he has spoken to them in the last day and they are "doing fine".

"In my office, right now I can watch them working on the ISS," adding that they have fully integrated into the station's crew.

"But we are human," he says. "And this is hard on crew members and their families, and we take that into account. But again, as professional astronauts, they are prepared for this. They are doing great."

Boeing and Nasa are working together, Nasa says

Bowersox says he has "tremendous respect" for Boeing, and "that respect has grown through this process".

"We've had very honest discussions with each other, and I am not surprised the Boeing team are 100% behind their vehicle," he says.

"But I can also tell you that they want to work with us in a partnership. What the Nasa team thinks is important, and when we get to a decision, we will work through it together," he adds.