(NewsNation) — Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, along with astronaut Nick Hague, spoke to the media ahead of their scheduled return to Earth.
The crew said they support political leaders and that when it comes to being the subject of political discussions, they noted there is information about the situation that politicians may not have — and likewise, there is political information they are not privy to while in orbit.
When it comes to looking ahead, Williams said one of the difficult issues is having family members who know they are coming home but still have no firm date to expect them back.
Williams also answered a question about her dogs, two Labrador retrievers, noting that at least they can’t tell time but said she was looking forward to returning to them soon.
She also expressed sorrow that it could be her last trip to the ISS and indicated she might leave a personal object on board, though she declined to say what it would be, suggesting the next crew would have to find it.
The pair will be using generic spacesuits on the return since they were not Earthside to get fitted for custom ones. Unlike the usual suits, they won’t be emblazoned with their names, though Wilmore joked that they have Sharpies on the ISS, and so his suit might have a name after all.
He also joked that life in space is great since all his aches and pains disappear without gravity.
Wilmore and Williams initially blasted off for what was expected to be a roughly two-week mission on the International Space Station.
However, Boeing’s Starliner capsule experienced multiple issues on the journey, including numerous helium leaks in the service capsule and difficulty with thrusters when docking.
After evaluation, NASA determined it was unsafe for Starliner to make a crewed return. The capsule made an autonomous journey back to Earth, with Wilmore and Williams embarking on an extended stay on ISS.
The pair have pushed back against media and political characterizations that they are “stranded,” saying they are enjoying the opportunity to spend many months on the ISS.
The two are scheduled to return to Earth with NASA’s Crew-9 mission, currently estimated to return at the end of March.
President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have attempted to take credit for returning the astronauts on a SpaceX capsule, but NASA began making plans to use a SpaceX vehicle for the return last fall.
Crew-10 could launch as early as March 12. Once it docks, there will be a brief handover period, and then Wilmore and Williams will return with the Crew-9 mission crew.