Boeing's Starliner space capsule returned to Earth last week, but only after creating waves due to many malfunctions it suffered. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who traveled via Starliner to International Space Station (ISS) in June this year are still stuck there as NASA decided not to risk a travel home with astronauts aboard since the space capsule was developing glitches. Now, Butch Wilmore has said that he and Sunita Williams 'could have returned' to Earth onboard the Starliner if more time was available to sort out the glitches.
In a video press conference on Friday (September 13), Wilmore, who is still aboard ISS, expressed happiness that Starliner landed safely on Earth without any issues.
"We could have gotten to the point, I believe, where we could have returned on Starliner, but we just simply ran out of time," said Wilmore.
A Wary NASA
Wilmore and Williams arrived at ISS via Starliner in the month of June for what was initially supposed to be an eight-day space mission. But things became complicated as Starliner developed helium leaks and issues with thrusters. NASA, which has suffered horrific accidents like those with Challenger and Columbia space capsules in past, was not willing to risk return of astronauts aboard a faulty space vessel. Boeing was given a couple months to sort out the issue remotely from Earth but all was not well up to NASA standards.
Now, Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth next year aboard a SpaceX space capsule.
Sunita Williams has also expressed happiness about Starliner landing on Earth without issues.
"We wanted to take Starliner to the completion and land back on land at home, but you know, you have to turn the page and look at the next opportunity," she said.
Prolonged stay in space has negative impact on human body with issues like bone mass loss arising due to zero gravity. Concerns are being raised about the safety and well-being of the two astraonauts.
