THE pair of stranded astronauts have answered questions for the first time in weeks since they were abandoned on the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, 61, and Suni Williams, 58, planned on spending eight days in space, but will now be brought home in 2025.
Technical issues with their spaceship, the Boeing’s Starliner capsule, meant the return journey was deemed unsafe due to problems with thrusters and helium leaks.
Wilmore said he felt "very fortunate" to stay on the ISS and fly home later safely with his crewmate on a SpaceX-made Crew Dragon craft in February.
He said: “Obviously, when you have issues like we’ve had, there’s some changes that need to be made.
"Boeing’s on board with that. We’re all on board with that.
"Starliner’s crewed test flight was meant to “push the edge of the envelope. …And when you do things with spacecraft that have never been done before, just like Starliner, you’re going to find some things.
“In this case, we found some things that we just could not get comfortable with putting us back in the Starliner.”
It is indicated that NASA and Boeing were at a disagreement over of a risk assessments during a meeting on August 24, leading to the change of travel plans.
NASA's Commercial Crew has put this down to how each organisation chiose to evaluate risks.
If the crew on the ground had more time, Wilmore believes they may have been able to travel home on the Boeing Capsule.
“I think the data could have gotten there.
"We could have gotten to the point, I believe, where we could have returned on Starliner.
“But we just simply ran out of time.”
When answering questions the former Navy test pilot from Tennessee stated how he feels fortunate to even have a back-up option.
Despite fears over complications, Starliner returned home on September 7 safely without its crew.
There were issues with propulsion and orientation issues while vessel was in space but this did not affect the shuttle touching down in the New Mexico early on the Saturday morning.
The stranded astronauts will now remain on the ISS for potentially eight months before joining their spaceship back on the ground.
When asked about their prolonged trip Wilmore said the adjustment wasn't too painful.
He said: “I’m not gonna fret over it. I mean, there’s no benefit to it at all. So my transition was — maybe it wasn’t instantaneous — but it was pretty close.”
Here's what you need to know about the International Space Station...
Here's what you need to know about the International Space Station...
British astronaut Meganne Christian revealed how life in space is not all fun and games.
From losing muscle mass and risking radiation, to having to go to the toilet in a hose and facing months of dehydrated food, it can be quite grueling.
This doesn't seem to bother Crewmate Williams who told CNN that despite missing the festivities this Christmas, space is her "happy place."
She added: "I love being up here in space. It’s just fun. You know, every day you do something that’s work, quote, unquote, you can do it upside down.
"You can do it sideways, so it adds a little different perspective.”
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