NASA astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore have reached their six-month milestone of being stranded on the International Space Station, despite initially planning to stay for just eight days.

The crew launched to the ISS in June for a week-long mission but will end up spending an unplanned nine months in space.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will be spending the holidays aboard the International Space Station, with their extended stay pushed back due to concerns over the safety of the Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who initially left for space on an eight-day mission, have been stuck in the International Space Station since June, due to faults on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that carried them there.

Surrounded by floating candy canes and a makeshift snowman made out of stowage bags, the astronauts aboard the International Space Station gathered together to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone back on Earth.

NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station shared a special Christmas holiday message for everyone back on Earth.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore won't be back on Earth before March, but they've got candy canes and Santa hats to celebrate the holiday.

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Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams brought Christmas cheer to the ISS, donning Santa hats despite being stranded in orbit since June. Social media buzzed with playful questions about how festive decorations made it on their originally short mission,