Paris, July  29— The world's biggest sporting event, the Olympic Games, has captivated the city of love, art, and literature. Thousands of athletes are fiercely competing for medals following the impressive opening ceremony. The Olympic torch continues to burn brightly in Paris and, astonishingly, also in space.

Courtesy of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the Olympic torch is burning hundreds of kilometers above Earth in the weightless environment of space. A video shared by NASA shows nine astronauts, including Sunita Williams, performing Olympic-themed activities like weightlifting, gymnastics, and even swimming aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams extended her congratulations to the athletes from space. She and her fellow astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore arrived at the ISS on June 5 aboard the Boeing Starliner for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission. However, their return has been delayed due to a malfunction in the Starliner.

According to the latest information from NASA, the astronauts have been stranded on the ISS for almost 50 days due to issues with their spacecraft. Despite the uncertainty, NASA assures that Sunita and Butch are safe and that efforts are ongoing to bring them back to Earth.

The primary issue with the Starliner appears to be a major problem with the propeller and continuous helium gas leakage, which has created significant noise and operational concerns. If the Starliner cannot be repaired in time, NASA is considering alternative return options. Elon Musk's SpaceX could provide a Crew Dragon spacecraft for their return. If that also fails, Russia's Soyuz spacecraft could be used as a last resort.

The Starliner spacecraft is designed to stay docked at the ISS for up to 90 days, which gives NASA researchers about 40 more days to resolve the situation. A decision must be made soon on whether to bring Sunita and Butch back to Earth using the Starliner, SpaceX's Crew Dragon, or Russia's Soyuz spacecraft.

Despite the challenges, NASA reports that Sunita and Butch remain in good spirits. Both astronauts have extensive experience in space missions, and NASA has contingency plans in place for emergencies. Efforts continue to bring them back to Earth safely aboard the Starliner. 

The world watches closely, hoping for the safe return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have become symbols of resilience and international cooperation during this Olympic season.