Boeing's Starliner astronauts are nearing the end of their unexpectedly extended mission in Earth orbit, and they are eager to address the rumors about being "stranded" in space.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore launched to the International Space Station (ISS) last June on the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The initial plan was for a brief 10-day mission, but the Starliner faced thruster malfunctions during its approach and docking. This prompted a comprehensive investigation by both NASA and Boeing.
Ultimately, the Starliner returned uncrewed, and following some astronaut assignment adjustments, Williams and Wilmore joined the downward leg of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission. This led to an extension of their stay in space until the arrival of Crew-10, at the conclusion of Crew-9's six-month rotation.
While media cycles have occasionally highlighted the plight of the so-called "stranded astronauts," Williams and Wilmore have persisted in their duties aboard the ISS. Notably, Williams set a new record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a woman.
The situation escalated when former President Donald Trump criticized the Biden administration for allegedly abandoning the astronauts, urging SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to assist. NASA then announced a delay in the launch of Crew-10 to no earlier than late March, due to additional work needed on a new Dragon spacecraft.
Recent delays in manufacturing Crew-10's new Dragon prompted NASA to replace it with a spacecraft available sooner. This decision came shortly after the social media discussion between Trump and Musk, who echoed the "stranded astronauts" rhetoric. Williams and Wilmore hope to shift this narrative.
In a conversation with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Wilmore emphasized that mission extensions are part of their job. "We come prepared, we come committed. That's what the human spaceflight program is all about," he stated. Wilmore assured that all astronauts aboard the ISS are capable of returning to Earth in an emergency.
"Help us change the rhetoric," Wilmore urged Cooper. "Let's change it to 'prepared and committed.'" Both astronauts have previously experienced extended missions and express that they are enjoying their time in space.
NASA is currently targeting March 12 for the launch of the Crew-10 mission, which will use the Crew Dragon capsule Endurance instead of the new Dragon. A typical crew overlap aboard the ISS lasts about a week, so Crew-9 is expected to return to Earth around March 19.
As Williams noted during the CNN interview, the conclusion of their mission will be bittersweet: "I think both of us will be a little bit sad when that feeling of space sort of leaves us."
Originally posted on Space.com.
