Boeing, NASA say Starliner's return to Earth to be further delayed

US aerospace giant Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft is expected to return to Earth much later than initially scheduled due to mechanical issues. NASA and Boeing made the announcement on Wednesday. Starliner lifted off with two NASA astronauts onboard and docked at the International Space Station in June.

The spacecraft was initially planned to bring the crew back to Earth in about a week. NASA and Boeing said they are currently performing ground tests of the spacecraft's propulsion system, and they will decide a new return date after reviewing the test results. No health problems have been reported about the two astronauts.