Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who returned to Earth in late March after spending an unexpected nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), for the first time opened up about their delayed return.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Wilmore when asked who would he blame for their delayed return refused to blame anyone in particular but said that “everybody has a piece in this”.
“Is Boeing to blame? Sure. Is Nasa to blame? Sure. Everybody has a piece in this. There were shortcomings in tests and preparations we did not foresee.” He admitted to his own culpability, saying there were questions he should have asked beforehand.
Williams and Wilmore shared their experiences and reactions to the unexpected extension. Williams recalled her initial response to the delay, saying she quickly adapted to the situation. “If our spacecraft was going to go home based on decisions made here, and we were going to be up there till February, I was like, ‘Let’s make the best of it.’” She expressed excitement about spending extra time in space, enjoying scientific experiments and seeing ISS upgrades since her last visit.
Originally scheduled for an eight-day mission, their return was delayed due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Their homecoming has sparked debate over whether Nasa, Boeing, or other entities are Responsible for the prolonged mission.
Wilmore took a more mission-focused approach, acknowledging the sacrifices made for national goals. “I have to wrap my mind around what our nation needs from me right now. Of course, I thought about missing my daughter’s high school year, but we’ve trained them to be resilient.” He emphasised that test flights come with uncertainty, adding, “We don’t know what’s going to happen. We might not be back in eight days.”
Their return was ultimately facilitated by Nasa and SpaceX, with their capsule parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s coast on March 18. Within an hour, they emerged smiling and waving, completing a journey that had drawn global attention. Wilmore dismissed claims that they were “stranded,” reaffirming their support for Nasa’s decisions.
The extended mission also drew political scrutiny, with President Donald Trump criticising the Biden administration for delays. He urged Elon Musk and SpaceX to accelerate their return. Nasa had been exploring options regardless, but SpaceX substituted a different capsule to expedite their homecoming.
Williams and Wilmore acknowledged the challenges their families faced but maintained their dedication to the mission. “This has been nine months in the making, and I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s versatility,” said Steve Stich, Nasa’s commercial crew programme manager. While Boeing’s Starliner remains under review, Nasa will decide in the summer whether to continue using the spacecraft for future crewed missions or to prioritise SpaceX.
