NASA’s Starliner astronauts say they’d ride the spacecraft again

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams recently spoke to the press for the first time since their return from an extended stay in space. Wilmore emphasized, “We were always coming back, and I think people need to know that.”

The duo flew to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2023 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for what was supposed to be an eight-day test mission. However, technical issues led NASA to bring the spacecraft back empty, leaving Wilmore and Williams awaiting their return trip.

After several months of being described in the news as “stranded” in space, NASA arranged for their return by including them in the Crew-9 mission. The pair finally returned to Earth on March 18 after a nine-month journey in space.

During a NASA news conference, Williams highlighted their training and experience, stating, “We are International Space Station crew members, and we’re doing what all of our other friends in the astronaut office do — go and work and train and and do amazing science experiments up on the International Space Station.”

Wilmore took responsibility for the mission’s unexpected outcome, admitting, “There were questions that I, as the commander of the spacecraft, that I should have asked and I did not.” However, he also emphasized that NASA and Boeing share responsibility and are committed to learning from the experience for future success.

When asked about political involvement in the mission, Crew-9 astronaut Nick Hague emphasized the focus on the mission in space, stating, “The politics, they don’t make it up there.” Both astronauts praised Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, with Wilmore expressing willingness to ride it again in the future.

Upon returning home, the astronauts prioritized hugging loved ones and enjoying simple pleasures like grilled cheese sandwiches. Williams expressed gratitude for the public interest in their mission, hoping it could serve as a positive element to bring people together.