Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Happy For Extra Time Aboard ISS, Will Vote From Space, And Not 'Let Down' By Starliner

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore spoke to media from the ISS and shared their commitment to space exploration despite the Boeing Starliner setback.

Screengrab from NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore's press conference from the International Space Station.

Source : NASA

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore said they are happy that they got this extra time in space to continue research and other work. Though they are missing home, they are aboard the International Space Station "working with friends", and are looking forward to the next few months with great excitement. Both astronauts addressed the media from the ISS late Friday, and shared their experiences during the ongoing mission that got extended after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that took them to the orbiting lab developed faults and was brought back to Earth uncrewed.

Williams and Wilmore will now return only in February 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. This was the second time they were speaking from the space during the current mission.   

Sunita Williams, who will be spending her birthday in space in the coming week, has been named the International Space Station (ISS) commander, Wilmore shared. 

As the question-answer round started, and the two astronauts were asked to speak about the ups and downs they have faced so far during their mission, Wilmore replied: "Well, Suni Williams has just been named the commander of the space station. She'll take over in a couple of weeks. I'm gonna let her start off with some questions."

Williams said: "We work here with our friends, and that's key part of being at the International Space Station, and doing our work... The 'up' part is we are working with our friends, and we have got a ride home, and we are looking forward to the next couple of months and doing a lot of stuff at the station."  

Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore To Vote In US Elections From Space 

Asked if they have asked for their absentee ballot so they can vote in the upcoming US elections, both astronauts replied in the affirmative and said they are excited about the opportunity to perform their duty as citizens. Wilmore said he sent down his "request for a ballot today", with Williams adding: "We are looking forward to be able to vote in the elections from space, and that's pretty cool." 

The two were also asked what were they missing out on a personal level, replying to which Williams said she always misses family, her two dogs, and friends, and it's difficult to be away from home, but "everybody understands" it's work. Both Williams and Wilmore thanked people for sending them messages enquiring about their well being and wishing them a safe return.

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Did They Ever Feel Letdown After Boeing Starliner Fiasco?   

Replying to a question if they felt "letdown" after Boeing Starliner failed to take them back, and since it was not something that they had anticipated, Wilmore took a bit of time to come up with an answer but emphatically said when he did: "Absolutely not!"

Stating that the question was fair and valid, and that he did "think a lot" about what he was going to say at this press conference, Wilmore explained: "We stand for the agency, we go beyond, we do things that are out of the ordinary, we send humans to space...This is not easy...It's a very risky business, and things do not always turn out the way you want." 

Wilmore evaded a direct reply when asked if Boeing could have done anything differently to avoid the failure. He said there was not enough time to attempt this question, and whatever he would say could be taken in a wrong way. Stating that "all that will play out in the coming months", Wilmore said there will be discussions, things will be looked at, and "everything that needs change will be changed".

Sunita Williams said she was in fact excited to be able to take the ride back home in a different spacecraft, as they would be getting to use two different vehicles during a single mission.