NASA Astronauts Express Willingness to Reboard Starliner After 9 Months in Space

The NASA astronauts who recently returned from their unplanned nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station expressed they would embark on the mission again “in a heartbeat.”

During a press conference on Monday at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore shared insights about the “unique mission,” marking their first news briefing since their return to Earth.

What was intended to be an eight-day trip to space evolved into a nine-month duration due to technical difficulties with the Boeing Starliner capsule.

Despite the complications, both astronauts conveyed that they would gladly fly in the Starliner again if the chance presented itself.

“We’re going to make it work,” Wilmore reiterated, emphasizing NASA and Boeing’s commitment to resolving the issues.

Williams added that the capsule is fully capable and expressed her honor at the possibility of flying in it again.

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In June, the astronauts were on a test flight when they faced technical issues during docking. NASA opted to return the capsule to Earth empty while devising a plan to bring the astronauts home via a SpaceX capsule. However, complications with that capsule further postponed their return.

Williams and Wilmore simply adjusted their plans as they are trained to do.

When asked about responsibility for the troubled flight, Wilmore indicated that assigning blame was unproductive, stating he would first hold himself accountable.

“I’ll begin by pointing the finger at myself. I could have asked some questions, and the answers might have changed the outcome,” he explained to the press. “Everyone across the board shares responsibility. We all own this.”

He acknowledged that the space industry is a “tough business” and emphasized that “human space flight is hard,” highlighting the necessity for trust and faith in the process.

Back on Earth, the astronauts found themselves at the center of a political controversy. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk vowed to expedite their return, attributing their prolonged stay to the Biden administration. The astronauts maintained that politics does not reach space. Trump later offered to cover their overtime pay from his own funds.

While the NASA test pilots quickly became known as the astronauts “stuck in space,” they expressed they didn’t view their situation as being trapped or stranded.

Prior to the incident, Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, were relatively unknown to the world, having come to NASA through the Navy.

Wilmore reflected on the challenges of being away from loved ones for such an extended period but mentioned that their families understood the complexities of their roles. He also drew on his faith, attending church virtually while in space.

Neither astronaut fully realized how closely the world was monitoring their extended stay. They expressed gratitude for the opportunity to unite people in a positive manner and felt humbled that their mission underscored the significance of human space exploration.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.