Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded in space since their Boeing Starliner capsule departed without them, discussed their challenges on Friday. The duo expressed their frustrations over the prolonged mission, which now looks set to extend beyond the initially planned eight days to possibly more than eight months. This extension follows NASA’s decision to keep them in orbit after the Starliner, which was intended to return them, experienced significant issues.
Wilmore and Williams made their first public statements since the Starliner’s return last week. They acknowledged the difficulties of their situation, noting that it was disheartening to see their spacecraft leave without them. Despite the unexpected length of their mission, they understood that such setbacks are part of space travel. “We anticipated possible delays, as it’s all part of the process,” Williams noted.
As full members of the International Space Station (ISS) crew, Wilmore and Williams are actively involved in daily maintenance and research activities. Williams will soon take over command of the ISS. Recently, the station’s crew temporarily increased to 12 with the arrival of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying additional astronauts. Further, two more astronauts are expected on a SpaceX flight later this month, with reserved seats for Wilmore and Williams on their return.
Both astronauts are adapting well to life aboard the ISS. Williams, who has prior experience in space, finds the environment comfortable and fulfilling. Wilmore’s adjustment has been nearly seamless. They both appreciate the support from Earth and are managing the personal sacrifices of their extended stay, such as missing important family events. Wilmore has even arranged to vote in the upcoming election from space.
The Starliner mission was Boeing’s first crewed spaceflight attempt and encountered several technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks. The capsule successfully landed in New Mexico earlier this month, but Boeing’s future with NASA’s commercial crew program remains uncertain. Despite the hurdles, Williams expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to test new spacecraft and is ready to embrace future missions.
