Stranded US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are scheduled to fly back to earth on Tuesday — ending their extended, nine-month stay in space. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were only supposed to be in space for about a week when they launched in June, but problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft extended their journey for months.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are one more step closer to returning to Earth after an initially short mission became an extended, monthslong stay aboard the International Space Station.