Starliner Astronauts: Not Stranded, Just Sticking Around

Two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in June. Their trip was supposed to be short, but things didn't go as planned. The Boeing Starliner spacecraft had some issues with its thrusters. This led to a lot of discussions and investigations on Earth. Meanwhile, Williams and Wilmore stayed in space longer than expected. Instead of coming back on the Starliner, they joined the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. This meant their stay in space was extended even more. They were originally supposed to come back after 10 days, but now they're staying for 10 months. This is a big change, but they're handling it well. Williams and Wilmore have been doing their regular duties on the ISS. Williams even broke a record for the most spacewalking time by a woman. Despite the delays and changes, they're not feeling stranded or abandoned. They're prepared for anything and committed to their mission. The situation got more attention when former President Donald Trump blamed the Biden administration for "virtually abandoning" the astronauts. He even asked SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for help. But Williams and Wilmore want people to know that they're not stuck. They're just doing their job. They explained that mission extensions are part of the job. They're prepared for any situation and can return to Earth immediately if needed. They want people to change the way they talk about their situation. Instead of saying "stranded, " they want people to say "prepared and committed. " Both astronauts have spent extended periods on the ISS before. They're enjoying their time in space and adapting well. They'll be sad when their mission ends, but they're ready for it. NASA has been making changes to the Crew-10 mission. The launch date has been pushed back, and the spacecraft has been swapped. This means Williams and Wilmore will come back to Earth with the Crew-9 astronauts.