NASA Astronauts on the International Space Station Share They ‘Don’t Feel Like Castaways’ | Science, Climate & Tech News
Two NASA astronauts, who have been on the International Space Station since June 2024, have stated they “do not feel like castaways.”
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams initially aimed to stay in space for only eight days, but ended up stranded on the ISS when their Boeing Starliner spacecraft encountered multiple issues. By September, the spacecraft returned to Earth without them.
During a live video event with NASA leaders on Wednesday evening, the astronauts appeared upbeat alongside two other crew members.
When asked about the Tom Hanks film Cast Away, which features a protagonist stranded on a deserted island, Ms. Williams remarked that she and Mr. Wilmore did not feel abandoned.
“Eventually, we want to go home,” she added. “We left our families some time ago.”
“But we have a lot to accomplish up here, and we need to get that done before we can return.”
The astronauts noted they hadn’t yet had the chance to observe the wildfires raging in California from the space station’s windows due to their orbital path. However, they plan to take photographs of the area when they pass over California to assist those affected.
Starliner spacecraft docked at the International Space Station. Pic: NASA
Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams, both former Navy captains, have faced numerous delays in their return home.
Last month, their planned return in February was postponed again due to issues with the SpaceX rocket scheduled to bring them back.
The astronauts now await the arrival of NASA’s next crew to the ISS, who will take their places on the return rocket alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Read more on stranded astronauts:
How they got stuck in space and how they might get home
In August, Boeing affirmed that the astronauts are “not stuck,” and Ms. Williams referred to the space station as her “happy place.”
Almost six months later, the duo has celebrated the US election, Thanksgiving, and Christmas aboard the ISS.
They even managed to vote in the US election, although Mr. Wilmore is missing significant moments in his daughter’s final year of high school; however, they seemed content during Wednesday’s call to Earth.
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They are not in any danger; astronauts have spent significantly longer in space, with the record held by Russian Valeri Polyakov.
He spent 437 days away from Earth in the mid-1990s.
In 2023, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio returned from a record 371-day journey, marking the longest time any American has spent in space.
Recently, the astronauts on the ISS received two cargo deliveries that included clothing, food, water, and oxygen, according to NASA.
“The resupply spacecraft brought special items for the crew to celebrate the holidays onboard the orbital platform,” the agency stated in December.
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Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams have integrated into the regular ISS crew, taking on responsibilities such as plumbing and space station repairs.
Next week, Ms. Williams is set to conduct a spacewalk with another crew member to replace a component on the outside of the space station that aids in orientation.
They will also work on fixing a telescope and a reflector, among other tasks.
This will mark Ms. Williams’ eighth spacewalk during her extensive career with NASA.
