NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore is confident in Boeing’s Starliner, eager to fly again despite setbacks
Although the problems encountered left them stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), both astronauts expressed willingness to take the Starliner again.
Since returning to Earth, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have held their first press conference to address concerns about Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Although the problems encountered left them stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), both astronauts expressed willingness to take the Starliner again.
When asked if he would fly again the Stalini Islands, Wilmore said: “Yes, because we will correct all the problems we have. We will fix them. We will make them work. Boeing is fully committed. NASA is fully committed, and with a heart disease, I will keep going.”
Williams shared a similar view, praising the spacecraft’s capabilities and acknowledging the need to solve small problems.
“I agree,” Williams said, adding, “The spacecraft does have capabilities. There are several things that need to be fixed… People are actively working on it, but it’s a great spacecraft that many other spacecraft don’t have. It’s an honor to see this succeed and be part of the program.”
NASA astronaut Nick Hague said about their Crew 9 mission that demonstrates the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safe return of astronauts while continuing to advance scientific research. “The Crew 9 mission is unique, just like every space flight mission … to me, it’s the importance of my safety and mission and the importance of the balance between the two.”
NASA CREW-9 astronauts Sunita Williams, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov successfully splashed Spacex’s Dragons’ dragon hat on 5:57 PM EDT on March 18.
After returning, Wilmore and Williams began physical therapy at the Johnson Space Center to help their bodies re-adjust the Earth’s gravity. This therapy is a standard procedure for astronauts returning from space. Astronauts all seemed to be in a cheerful attitude and in good physical condition during Monday’s press conference. Williams even revealed that she had a 3-mile run on Sunday.
After returning, the White House emphasized President Trump’s role in prioritizing rescue. It said astronauts landed safely in the Gulf of Mexico and believed Musk’s return. The White House wrote in an article on X: “Promise, Promise Holding: President Trump promises to rescue astronauts stranded in space for nine months. Today, they splashed safely in the U.S. bays thanks to Elon Musk, Spacex and NASA!
“Trump has previously accused former U.S. President Joe Biden of abandoning astronauts in space. On March 7, Trump said he had authorized Musk to bring back U.S. astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been at ISS since June last year.
(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and published from ANI)
