1030 NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT STRANDED IN SPACE FOR LONGER THAN EXPECTED. NOW PIERS ARE STATE IS GOING TO GET EVEN LONGER. NASA HAS CONFIRMED THAT BUTCH WILMORE AND SUNNY WILLIAMS WILL NOT RETURN TO EARTH NOT UNTIL NEXT YEAR THIS MEANS THAT THE TRIP FOR 8 DAYS IS NOW BALLOONING TO AT LEAST 8 MONTHS. >> CORRESPONDENT XAVIER WALTON NOW WITH MORE ON THAT. >> WE HAVE HAD MISTAKES DONE IN THE PAST WE LOST. >> 2 AMERICAN HEROES WHICH STARTED AS AN 8 DAY MISSION FOR ASTRONAUT SUNNY WILLIAMS AND BUTCH WILMORE HAS NOW TURNED INTO AN 8 MONTH MISSION AFTER WEEKS OF TESTING NASA AND BOEING ULTIMATELY MAKING THAT DECISION TO KEEP THE ASTRONAUTS ON THE ISS. OFFICIALS SAY HELIUM LEAKS AND THRUSTER ISSUES IN THE PROPOSED IN SYSTEM WE'RE TO BLAME FOR SUNNY AND BUSH'S EXTENDED STAY IN SPACE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TENSE DISCUSSIONS RIGHT BECAUSE THE. >> THE CALL WAS CLOSE NASA ULTIMATELY CALLING ON SPACEX TO PLAY THE ROLE OF HERO DURING ITS NEXT CREWED LAUNCH IN SEPTEMBER INSTEAD OF SENDING 4 ASTRONAUTS TO THE ISS ON ITS DRAGON CAPSULE SPACEX NOW SENDING 2 MAKING ROOM FOR SUNNY AND BUTCH TO HITCH A RIDE HOME. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO RELATIVE TO THAT THE REST OF THE MISSION WHICH IS. >> BUSH AND SUNNY STAY ON THE SPACE STATION FOR SOME TIME AND A RETURN ON CREEK 9 WE'RE CONSIDERING THAT SPACECRAFT WITH A COUPLE EXTRA 2 DIFFERENT SEATS. SO WE'LL HAVE 2 DIFFERENT CREW 2 CREW MEMBERS ON THAT VEHICLE WE'LL HAVE IT READY TO BRING BUT SINCE ANY HOME. >> WELL NOW IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED THAT RETURN WILL NOW BE LATE FEBRUARY BUT SOMETHING TO NOTE, EVERYBODY ON THE PANEL YOU JUST SAW TALKED ABOUT JUST HOW CLOSE THE CALL WAS WHEN IT CAME TO