NASA decided using the Boeing Starliner capsule to bring Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back to Earth was too risky following a string of technical glitches on their outwards journey.
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00:00Two astronauts stranded at the International Space Station are a step closer to home with
00:06the arrival of a SpaceX capsule.
00:09The capsule docked at the station with two empty seats reserved for Butch Wilmore and
00:13Sunita Williams.
00:15The duo have been stuck in space since June due to technical difficulties and will return
00:21to Earth in February.
00:23Until then, two new recruits, NASA's Nick Haig and the Russian Space Agency's Alexander
00:29Gorbunov, who were aboard the rescue ship, will remain in orbit.
00:35On behalf of Expedition 72, I just want to say welcome to our new compadres from Dragon
00:44Freedom.
00:45Thanks honey, coming through the hatch and seeing all the smiles and as much as I've
00:49laughed and cried in the last 10 minutes, I know it's going to be an amazing expedition
00:56so I'm really looking forward to getting to work up here.
00:58In the middle of the year, the Starliner test flight containing Williams and Wilmore experienced
01:04thruster failures and helium leaks after liftoff.
01:08NASA sent the aircraft back to Earth unmanned, with post-flight data reviews set to begin
01:13this week.