NASA astronauts speak out for the first time following unexpected 9-month mission to space
By Ashley Strickland and Jackie Wattles, CNN upxed 5:55 PM EDT, Mon March 31, 2025
Two astronauts whose planned weeklong stay in low-Earth orbit unexpectedly turned into a more than 9-month mission due to spacecraft problems spoke publicly to reporters Monday for the first time since their return to terra firma on March 18.
NASA’s Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore garnered worldwide attention when issues with their Boeing Starliner vehicle cropped up during a June test flight to the International Space Station. As they waited for an alternative ride home, the pair faced a stream of rhetoric, bolstered by politicians and media, about being “abandoned,” “stranded,” or “stuck” — descxtors the astronauts themselves have denied.
Williams, Wilmore and fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague — who were all part of the Crew-9 mission that ultimately brought the test flight team back to Earth — addressed questions about the Starliner saga during a NASA news conference.
“We were always coming back, and I think people need to know that,” Williams said. “We’re back to actually, you know, share our story with so many people, because … it’s unique, and there’s some lessons learned to it, and part of that is just resilience and being able to take a turn that was unexpected and make the best of it.”
Williams acknowledged that she and Wilmore knew going into the Starliner test mission that flying a new spacecraft was “unique,” but neither expected all of the attention their extended stay garnered. Once the duo realized they would become part of the space station crew for longer than expected, they “pivoted,” Williams said.
“We are International Space Station crew members, and we’re doing what all of our other friends in the astronaut office do: Go and work and train and and do amazing science experiments up on the International Space Station,” Williams said.
Williams said she and Wilmore were honored and humbled by the amount of interest in their journey.
“When we came home, (it was) like, wow, there are a lot of people who are interested,” she said. “Very thankful, very amazed that we could hopefully be one positive element to bring people together.”
Both Williams and Wilmore said that Starliner is “very capable.” Given the chance, they would fly it again in the future, according to Wilmore.
“We’re going to rectify all the issues that we encountered,” Wilmore said. “We’re going to fix it, we’re going to make it work. Boeing’s completely committed. NASA is completely committed. And with that, I’d get on in a heartbeat.”
The astronauts were repeatedly asked about any politics that came into play during their time on the station.
“When we’re up there operating in space, you don’t feel the politics,” Hague said. “You don’t feel any of that.”
During an interview with Fox News on Monday, Wilmore for the first time said he thought “in certain respects, we were stuck.”
But he continued to refute the broader narrative that he and Williams were abandoned.
“Based on how they were couching this? That we were left and forgotten and all? We were nowhere near any of that,” Wilmore said.
President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, now one of Trump’s top advisers, have repeatedly taken credit for expediting Williams and Wilmore’s return.
Trump and Musk have also accused the Biden Administration of abandoning the astronauts in space for “political reasons,” though there is no publicly available evidence for that assertion.
Wilmore on Monday repeated earlier statements that he “believes” Musk and Trump, though he did not say about what, specifically.
“You’ve given me no reason not to trust you — either one of them,” Wilmore told Fox News when asked what he would say to Trump and Musk. “I am grateful that our national leaders actually are coming in and taking part in our human spaceflight program.”
Astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore talk to reporters during a news conference at Johnson Space Center on March 31 in Houston.
尼克·黑格、蘇尼·威廉姆斯和布奇·威爾莫在約翰遜航天中心的新聞發(fā)布會(huì)上與記者見面
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Reacclimating to life on Earth
Williams and Wilmore were reassigned to the Crew-9 mission during their monthslong stay on the orbiting laboratory, integrating with space station staff. As their stay faced further extensions, the astronauts acknowledged it was difficult to be away from family and friends on Earth.
“Did I think about not being there for my daughter’s high school year? Of course, but (we) compartmentalize. … I can’t let that interfere with what I’m called to do at the moment,” Wilmore told Fox News. “It’s not about me, it’s not about my feelings. It’s about what this human spaceflight program is about: It’s our national goals.”
Despite the controversial rhetoric about the mission, the astronaut duo also relished the time spent in space.
“It’s fantastic up here. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend time up here with these views and with this company?” Williams told CNN’s Anderson Cooper from the space station in February.
Hague on Monday praised Wilmore and Williams as highly skilled astronauts who were welcomed as they helped the current station crew work through experiments and other tasks — more than “gap fillers on the station,” he said at the news conference.
“They were productive, pushing the station mission forward and Suni was the station commander, so she was calling the shots,” Hague said. “So you get in that environment, that operational environment, the politics, they don’t make it up there. We are working as a part of an international team that spans the globe … and we just figure out how to make it happen. That’s the magic of human spaceflight, is that we can focus on something so positive that pulls people together. And we’ve been doing that for a long time.”
After returning home, Williams said she couldn’t wait to hug her husband and her dogs. She said she’s been feeling good and went for a 3-mile run yesterday — something she says is a testament to the astronauts’ trainers, who are “rocking it” in helping the crew reacclimate to life on Earth again.
“I mean, who would even imagine that you come back from roughly 10 months (in space) and within a week, you run 2 miles at an eight-minute pace,” Wilmore said. “I mean, that’s not even conceivable that the body could handle that. But these folks get us ready to where those type of things happen.”
JohnSmith1234567890
Why is truth always the one thing no one post articles about. So because they were always going to come back at some point they aren't stuck or stranded? That must mean if someone is lost in the woods for 3 months they were not stuck or stranded and always planned to come back but just had not been successful at it yet. So if you never died you were not stuck or stranded somewhere.
Stranded by google's definition is "left without the means to move from somewhere". I am pretty sure they were stranded for a while when the original plan to come home failed and they were stuck in space for longer than the original plan. Sure they always had a backup plan or delayed plan but be honest they were stuck /stranded for a while but not permanently.
I would agree abandoned was never a proper term because there was always a backup plan to get them back at some point. Trying to say they were not stuck or stranded for a while is completely incorrect. Stuck and stranded are not a permanent term but abandoned is one if there was never a backup plan by the original team.
cnn-user-ydbb14
"Stranded" can connote an intentional act, not the case here.
“滯留”這個(gè)詞還有故意而為之的意思,但用在這里不合適。
James
I'm sure the underlying sentiment is 2 very prominent fingers towards Boeing.
我想說,話里話外就像在豎著兩根中指向波音“致敬”。
cnn-user-ydbb14
Wrong -- Boeing was not responsible for their getting to spend more time aboard the ISS. So many people seem to suppose spaceflight an ordeal, as though astronauts were shift workers doing drudge work; the opposite is the case.
JohnSmith1234567890
Two people who got stuck in space for a while are trying to play it nice so their career doesn't end when they come back. They made statements that make sense when you take all that into account. I made the mistake of making a comment onetime at work about problems with my manger and 2 weeks later I was fired. Sometimes it is best to just keep your mouth shut if you don't want to find a new job. Sucks when you are 6 years from early retirement and then you have to start over and relearn things at a new company.
This is also why software has gone so bad in the US. When companies are outsourcing to India and then you notice problems with people in India who are getting paid a 4th what you make and bring up the mistakes they get pissed at you and fire you so they can keep paying the cheap people and don't have to hire new skilled people who aren't making mistakes with letting PII data get out.
cnn-user-dkxwht
Incredible respect for them to have lasted so long in space and their family for enduring the uncertainty and time away. I don't blame them for their praise because they also were very lucky to miss the last 10 months away from earth
Ole' Hog Williams
The fact that some of you actually believe that they would still be stranded if not for Trump and Musk says a lot about your grasp of the world. This has been discussed since last summer and it was known that it was going to take time.
BOBA
Of course CNN is not going to give Trump and Musk any credit. I am also glad they got home safely but they certainly missed moments that they can never recreate. Incoherent Biden probably did not have the ability to make a sound decision and his advisors and Jill Biden who were running the country were not willing to make the right decision to engage spaceX.
cnn-user-ydbb14
The crazies don't care what the astronauts themselves have to say at all.
那幫瘋子根本不在乎宇航員自己的想法么。
Myopinion
No matter how they made it home, they made it home and are safe and sound. So glad.
無論他們是怎么回來的,反正都安然無事。我都很高興。
Def Not from this planet
Hey things happen, they didn't die. All good. It's not about the politics, the who's fault it was. They are astronauts and have a job to do for 4 days or 9 months. Amazing mental fortitude and professionalism. So unless your as gifted as these two are. Button it already.
cnn-user-ydbb14
The point is that their having to remain aboard the ISS had nothing to do with Biden, Trump, or Musk -- it resulted solely from NASA's determination that there was undue risk returning in Starliner. The astronauts concurred and were able to spend more time aboard the Station -- an opportunity rather than a misfortune.
Why is truth always the one thing no one post articles about. So because they were always going to come back at some point they aren't stuck or stranded? That must mean if someone is lost in the woods for 3 months they were not stuck or stranded and always planned to come back but just had not been successful at it yet. So if you never died you were not stuck or stranded somewhere.
Stranded by google's definition is "left without the means to move from somewhere". I am pretty sure they were stranded for a while when the original plan to come home failed and they were stuck in space for longer than the original plan. Sure they always had a backup plan or delayed plan but be honest they were stuck /stranded for a while but not permanently.
I would agree abandoned was never a proper term because there was always a backup plan to get them back at some point. Trying to say they were not stuck or stranded for a while is completely incorrect. Stuck and stranded are not a permanent term but abandoned is one if there was never a backup plan by the original team.
為什么真相怎么從沒人報(bào)道?難道就因?yàn)樗麄冏罱K能回來,就不算受困或滯留么?照這個(gè)邏輯,有人如果在森林迷路了三個(gè)月也不該算受困?難道是說他們總想著回家,只是暫時(shí)沒成功而已。按這個(gè)標(biāo)準(zhǔn),人只要沒死,就永遠(yuǎn)不算被困在某個(gè)地方了?
根據(jù)谷歌定義,"滯留"是指"被困某處且無法自主離開"。當(dāng)原定返航計(jì)劃失敗,他們?cè)谔粘隈v留時(shí),顯然符合這個(gè)定義。確實(shí),NASA始終有備用方案或推遲的計(jì)劃,但客觀說,他們雖沒有永久無法返回地球,但確實(shí)經(jīng)歷了一段期間的受困。
我同意用"遺棄"這個(gè)詞來形容有些過分,畢竟確有后備救援計(jì)劃,他們可能晚些時(shí)候返回地球。但說他們沒有暫短受困,純是違背事實(shí)。"受困或滯留"本就不是永久狀態(tài),而"遺棄"才意味著原團(tuán)隊(duì)徹底放棄救援。
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"Stranded" can connote an intentional act, not the case here.
“滯留”這個(gè)詞還有故意而為之的意思,但用在這里不合適。
I'm sure the underlying sentiment is 2 very prominent fingers towards Boeing.
我想說,話里話外就像在豎著兩根中指向波音“致敬”。
Wrong -- Boeing was not responsible for their getting to spend more time aboard the ISS. So many people seem to suppose spaceflight an ordeal, as though astronauts were shift workers doing drudge work; the opposite is the case.
大錯(cuò)特錯(cuò)—讓他們?cè)诳臻g站長期滯留本就不是波音公司的責(zé)任。太多人把航天飛行想象成苦差事,仿佛宇航員只是輪班倒干活的藍(lán)領(lǐng)工人;事實(shí)恰恰相反。
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Two people who got stuck in space for a while are trying to play it nice so their career doesn't end when they come back. They made statements that make sense when you take all that into account. I made the mistake of making a comment onetime at work about problems with my manger and 2 weeks later I was fired. Sometimes it is best to just keep your mouth shut if you don't want to find a new job. Sucks when you are 6 years from early retirement and then you have to start over and relearn things at a new company.
This is also why software has gone so bad in the US. When companies are outsourcing to India and then you notice problems with people in India who are getting paid a 4th what you make and bring up the mistakes they get pissed at you and fire you so they can keep paying the cheap people and don't have to hire new skilled people who aren't making mistakes with letting PII data get out.
這兩位曾被困太空一段時(shí)間的宇航員說的,都是些好聽的場面話罷了,否則工作就沒了。比如我,我以前就犯過類似的錯(cuò)誤,就是對(duì)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)頂了幾句,倆禮拜過后我就被炒了。有時(shí)候,你若不想跳槽,最好學(xué)會(huì)閉嘴。尤其像我這樣距離提前退休只還有六年的人,現(xiàn)在在新公司的我,一切不得不都要從頭開始學(xué)起,實(shí)在郁悶至極。
這也是美國軟件業(yè)每況愈下的根本原因,工作外包給工資只有你四分之一的印度人之后,當(dāng)你發(fā)現(xiàn)印度人泄露個(gè)人身份信息(PII)進(jìn)而舉報(bào)時(shí),管理層反而惱羞成怒炒你魷魚,因?yàn)樗麄兿胗玫氖橇畠r(jià)打工人,而不是你這種不會(huì)犯錯(cuò)的昂貴技術(shù)人才。
Incredible respect for them to have lasted so long in space and their family for enduring the uncertainty and time away. I don't blame them for their praise because they also were very lucky to miss the last 10 months away from earth
他們能在太空?qǐng)?jiān)持如此之久,他們家人忍受前景不明的長期分離,我懷有深深的敬意。對(duì)他們說的好話我并沒有什么意見——畢竟某種程度上,能遠(yuǎn)離地球這十個(gè)月的(選票)紛爭也算是因禍得福。
The fact that some of you actually believe that they would still be stranded if not for Trump and Musk says a lot about your grasp of the world. This has been discussed since last summer and it was known that it was going to take time.
居然還有那么多人認(rèn)為,要不是特朗普和馬斯克出手,他們還困在天上下不來呢?你們?cè)摳孪伦约旱恼J(rèn)知啦。返回方案早在去年夏天就已商定,就差什么時(shí)間去執(zhí)行了。
Of course CNN is not going to give Trump and Musk any credit. I am also glad they got home safely but they certainly missed moments that they can never recreate. Incoherent Biden probably did not have the ability to make a sound decision and his advisors and Jill Biden who were running the country were not willing to make the right decision to engage spaceX.
CNN當(dāng)然不會(huì)把功勞算在特朗普和馬斯克頭上。對(duì)于他們能平安回家我也很高興,但他們確實(shí)永遠(yuǎn)錯(cuò)過了某些無法重現(xiàn)的重大時(shí)刻。比如,胡言亂語的拜登怕是根本無法做出明智決定,他的顧問和他老婆吉爾·拜登還不怎么想用SpaceX去解決這個(gè)問題。
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The crazies don't care what the astronauts themselves have to say at all.
那幫瘋子根本不在乎宇航員自己的想法么。
No matter how they made it home, they made it home and are safe and sound. So glad.
無論他們是怎么回來的,反正都安然無事。我都很高興。
Hey things happen, they didn't die. All good. It's not about the politics, the who's fault it was. They are astronauts and have a job to do for 4 days or 9 months. Amazing mental fortitude and professionalism. So unless your as gifted as these two are. Button it already.
很不錯(cuò)了,人沒事就好。這事兒跟政治不掛邊,也別找誰是誰的問題啦。宇航員就是宇航員,無論是四天還是九個(gè)月,干活才是正事。他們超強(qiáng)的心理素質(zhì)和專業(yè)素養(yǎng)令人敬佩。除非您也有這兩把刷子,否則閉上你的嘴吧。
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The point is that their having to remain aboard the ISS had nothing to do with Biden, Trump, or Musk -- it resulted solely from NASA's determination that there was undue risk returning in Starliner. The astronauts concurred and were able to spend more time aboard the Station -- an opportunity rather than a misfortune.
問題是,宇航員滯留在國際空間站的決定與拜登、特朗普或馬斯克沒有關(guān)系。這完全是NASA基于"星際飛船"返航風(fēng)險(xiǎn)評(píng)估做出的獨(dú)立判斷。宇航員們同意在空間站上多呆一段時(shí)間,對(duì)他們來說這是個(gè)好機(jī)會(huì),而不是什么倒霉事!
I'm disappointed by Wilmore's statement that he believes Musk, but I suppose he wants to fly again.
我對(duì)威爾莫爾相信馬斯克的表態(tài)感到失望,不過我猜他們以后還想再上太空吧。