During a live press conference on Friday night, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams expressed her relief following the safe landing of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft in New Mexico, which completed its six-hour flight without any issues. She and astronaut Butch Wilmore, who had been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June, observed the spacecraft’s return to Earth on September 7. Williams conveyed her happiness that the spacecraft returned without complications and reflected on the successful landing.
Williams and Wilmore, who spoke directly from the ISS during the press conference, provided a rare glimpse into their experiences during their extended mission. Williams shared her excitement and pride in the larger team responsible for the Starliner’s successful return. She stated, “To be honest, I was so happy it got home with no problems. It was a great sense of relief, and we were really excited and proud of our bigger team for bringing the spacecraft home and landing it, pretty much, bulls-eye in the desert.”
Wilmore remarked that they had learned valuable lessons from the mission and would participate in discussions to address and implement necessary changes. He emphasized that both Boeing and the entire team were committed to these improvements. Wilmore said, “We’ve got lessons learned that we will go through. We will have discussions. We will be involved with those discussions, and things that need to change will change. Obviously, when you have issues like we’ve had, there’s some changes that need to be made. Boeing is on board with that. We’re all on board with that.”
Williams described their role as testers, evaluating various aircraft and spacecraft, and highlighted the unique nature of their work. She noted, “We’re testers. That’s what we do. We look at different aircraft, spacecraft, whatever, and evaluate them. And that’s a pretty unique opportunity.” Reflecting on their preparation for the flight, she mentioned that they had anticipated potential extensions to their stay due to various factors and had trained extensively for both the Starliner and the ISS. She also expressed anticipation for the arrival of astronauts Nick and Alex, who will join them as part of Expedition 72.
Regarding the disagreements between NASA and Boeing over the Starliner issues, Wilmore acknowledged that while the discussions were intense, they remained respectful. He noted that, despite any personal disagreements, the decision made was one he supported. Wilmore added, “Ultimately, like I said, the decision that was made is the decision we’re on board with, right? It doesn’t matter if I agreed or disagreed.”
Williams and Wilmore, who launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5 for its first crewed flight and arrived at the ISS on June 6, had their stay extended from the originally planned eight days to eight months due to safety concerns. Instead of returning on the Starliner, they will remain on the ISS as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew and are now scheduled to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, which is set to launch from Cape Canaveral on September 24. The spacecraft will have two additional seats for Wilmore and Williams, allowing them to return in February.
