NASA Weighs SpaceX Rescue For Stranded Boeing Starliner Crew

A final decision on whether to persist with Starliner -- seen here docked with the ISS -- is expected later this month, officials said (Credit: AFP)

What was meant to be a weeklong trip to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first NASA astronauts to fly with Boeing could extend to eight months, with the agency considering bringing them home on a SpaceX spaceship.

A final decision on whether to persist with Boeing's Starliner -- which experienced concerning propulsion system problems as it flew up to the orbital platform in June -- is expected later this month, officials said Wednesday in a call with reporters.