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NASA Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Address Extended Space Mission
Veteran NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams have publicly spoken for the first time following their return from a prolonged space mission lasting over nine months. The duo participated in a joint interview with Fox News, broadcast on Monday, where they clarified their perspective on the mission’s extended duration. While acknowledging unforeseen challenges, they emphasized that the mission was not a failure, attributing the eventual outcome to a combination of factors involving NASA, Boeing, and even their own roles.
Accountability and Shared Responsibility
“There are numerous questions that, as the commander of the Crew Flight Test, I neglected to ask. For this, I accept responsibility,” Wilmore stated. He further elaborated, “I confess this to the nation. There were inquiries I should have made but didn’t recognize the need for at the time. However, with hindsight, some indicators were present.”
Wilmore continued by addressing the question of blame, stating, “Is Boeing responsible? Are they accountable? Certainly. Is NASA responsible, are they accountable? Assuredly. Everyone shares a part in this because the mission did not proceed as initially planned. There were shortcomings in testing and inadequacies in preparations that we did not anticipate.”
Refuting Claims of Abandonment
In a notable statement, Wilmore addressed assertions suggesting the Biden administration had “abandoned” him and Williams in orbit. “I have no reason to doubt anything they convey because they have earned my trust,” Wilmore affirmed during the Fox News interview.
“And for that, I am appreciative,” he added, describing it as “refreshing,” “empowering,” and “strengthening” to observe national leaders actively engaged in NASA’s human spaceflight program, which he characterized as globally significant.
Mission Duration and Perspective
Wilmore and Williams were initially scheduled to spend approximately eight days on the International Space Station (ISS) after launching aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5th. However, unforeseen technical issues with the spacecraft led to an extended stay lasting over nine months.
By the time of their return to Earth on March 18th, the astronauts had accumulated 288 days in space.
Both astronauts have consistently maintained that they did not feel marooned, stranded, or forgotten on the ISS, reiterating this stance during the recent Fox News interview.
“Any of those terms are quite broad in their definition,” Wilmore explained.
“So, in some respects, we were delayed, in some respects, perhaps we were stranded, but in the context of being left behind and disregarded — none of that was the case. We were far from abandoned,” Wilmore clarified. “Our return home was not as originally planned. So, by one definition, we were delayed. But considering the bigger picture, we were not stranded. We remained engaged and supported.”
Starliner’s Advanced Technology
When questioned about whether Boeing had let them down, Williams responded, “I wouldn’t really characterize it in that manner.”
Both astronauts emphasized that Starliner incorporates novel and highly sophisticated technology, acknowledging that launching such an intricate system into space inherently involves challenges.
“The spacecraft’s design is quite complex in how different systems are integrated,” Williams noted.
Wilmore added, “This is the most versatile spacecraft in our inventory. Nothing else possesses the comprehensive capabilities of Starliner.”