The two American astronauts stranded in space for eight months said, that it was difficult for them to watch their malfunctioning ship leave the International Space Station (ISS) without them, but they were happy and trained to “expect the unexpected”.
Sunny Williams and Butch Wilmore appeared happy and healthy at a news conference Friday after being told by NASA to stay aboard the ISS due to potential malfunctions in the Starliner spacecraft. of “Boeing”, writes the BBC, quoted by bTV.
„This is my happy place,” said Suni Williams, but admitted she misses her family and her two dogs.
They said they weren't happy with some of the Starliner's problems, but were still sad to see it leave the station and return to Earth without them.
The two astronauts thanked people for their messages and prayers.
„The concern for us is very heartfelt,” said Butch Wilmore.
When asked if they feel misled by “Boeing” Wilmore replied: “Absolutely not”.
The spaceship “Starliner“ landed uncrewed in the New Mexico desert on Sept. 7, ending a three-month test mission marred by technical problems that forced Wilmore and Williams, who became the first crew to fly it to the ISS, to remain there until next year.
Five of the 28 maneuvering engines of the “Starliner“ during their approach to the ISS in June, and the same propulsion system developed several leaks of helium, which is used to pressurize the engines.
Both astronauts said their training had taught them to adapt quickly to the long delay and focus on their mission, but admitted they were worried they wouldn't be able to fulfill their plans to spend time with their families .
The two astronauts talked about their work schedules - Butch Wilmore gets up at 4:30 a.m. and Sunny Williams gets up at 6:30 a.m. Both said they enjoy the exercise they have to do daily to struggle with the loss of bone density from life in space.
„Your joints don't hurt, which is pretty nice,” Wilmore added.
Sunny Williams shared that being in space makes her think more about planet Earth.
„This is the only planet we have and we have to take care of it. There are so many people on Earth who send us messages that it makes you feel at home,” she adds.
Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth aboard a SpaceX spacecraft in February 2025. There are seven other astronauts aboard the ISS - a science laboratory the size of a football field located about 250 miles in space.
They arrived at different times with other spacecraft, including a Russian Soyuz capsule.
Wilmore and Williams are expected to continue doing science experiments with their crewmates.