NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams discussed their unexpectedly extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during a news conference, which was prolonged from an eight-day test flight to nine and a half months due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Originally launched in June on the Starliner's first crewed test flight, their mission was extended after complications with the spacecraft's thrusters during docking, leading NASA to keep them on the ISS, drawing significant public attention. Upon their return to Earth on March 18 via a SpaceX Dragon capsule, Williams shared personal reflections on her longing for home and the simple pleasures she missed, while the mission underscored the challenges of the Starliner program and the need for reliable spacecraft in future missions.
