The families of Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are speaking out about the astronauts' predicament as they remain stranded in space.
The Boeing Starliner capsule they rode on June 5 for an inaugural test mission—which was originally set to last eight days—had experienced thruster failures and helium leaks before docking safely at the International Space Station, prompting NASA to postpone the pair's return to Earth by months.
“You know, we sort of don’t expect him until February," Butch's wife Deanna Wilmore told Knoxville, Tenn. TV station WVLT in a recent remote interview. "February or March."
Sitting in between the couple's daughters Daryn, 19, and Logan, 16, Deanna added, "He just takes it knowing the Lord's in control and that since the Lord's in control of it, that he's content where he is."
As for herself, Butch's wife said, “You just sort of have to roll with it and expect the unexpected."
Suni's husband, Michael Williams, said last week that he didn’t think she was disappointed to wind up spending more time at the space station, telling The Wall Street Journal, "That's her happy place."
NASA's chief astronaut Joe Acaba had said at a media teleconference Aug. 14 that "If Butch and Suni do not come home on Starliner and they are kept aboard the station, they will have about eight months on orbit." He added, "We have done multiple successful, long duration missions, even up to a year."
As Suni, 58, and Butch, 61—who have traveled to the ISS on past missions—and Boeing and NASA continue to analyze the damages to the spacecraft and conduct testing, the government agency is weighing options on how to bring the two home safely: Carry out repairs or have the pair hitch a ride on Crew Dragon, a vessel made by Elon Musk's company SpaceX.
While the rival group's scheduled mission to launch four astronauts to the ISS on Aug. 18 was postponed to Sept. 24 one day after Starliner's malfunctions, joining its return flight to Earth could mean Butch and Suni would be back with their families before the new year.
While the rival group's scheduled mission to launch four astronauts to the ISS on Aug. 18 was postponed to Sept. 24 one day after Starliner's malfunctions, joining its return flight to Earth could mean Butch and Suni would be back with their families before the new year.
Meanwhile, the astronauts have company on the ISS—since April, the space station has been inhabited by the American and Russian crew of Expedition 71—and keep in touch with their families. Butch's family said he Facetimes them regularly.
"It is so cool. He gives us a lot of Earth views," Daryn said about her dad. "I especially like seeing the sunset."
Meanwhile, the astronauts are keeping busy on the ISS by conducting scientific experiments and helping with maintenance tasks. They also have plenty of company on board—since April, the space station has been inhabited by the seven-person U.S. and Russian crew of Expedition 71—and keep in touch with their families.
Butch's loved ones said he Facetimes them regularly. And with the ISS traveling at a speed of five miles per second and orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes, per NASA, there's a lot of visual content to share.
"It is so cool. He gives us a lot of Earth views," Daryn said about her dad. "I especially like seeing the sunset."
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