On Wednesday, the astronauts aboard the Boeing Starliner, currently stationed at the International Space Station (ISS), engaged in a conversation with NASA officials.
The team, initially scheduled for a short mission, is now preparing to return to Earth this spring due to delays stemming from problems with the Boeing spacecraft.
The Starliner crew launched on June 5, marking the first manned test flight of Boeing’s space capsule. The mission was initially planned to last 8 to 10 days, but more than six months later, the astronauts remain optimistic about their extended stay aboard the ISS.
"We shared some outfits for a bit, but it doesn't really concern us," astronaut Butch Wilmore mentioned during a recent video conference with NASA officials. "Now we have an abundance of clothing. We're well-nourished. I've never witnessed anyone consume as much food as [fellow astronaut] Don Petit does."
The call provided a New Year update on the crew, which includes astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who arrived aboard Boeing’s Starliner. The pair will return alongside SpaceX’s Crew-9 team following safety concerns with the Starliner spacecraft.
Even with the prolonged duration of their mission, the astronauts remain dedicated to their tasks, performing experiments and furthering NASA's objectives in space exploration. "Our goal is to develop life support systems that can operate sustainably beyond Earth's orbit, eliminating the need for constant resupply," stated Crew-9 astronaut Nick Hague.
The Starliner crew expressed that they are not concerned about the delays, crediting the assistance from their ground teams. "We have an entire team supporting us, so we don’t have any worries," Williams remarked. "There’s plenty to accomplish with the ground crew."
Although the mission has extended well past its initial schedule, the astronauts are still dedicated to their responsibilities. "It doesn't feel like 'Castaway' at all," Williams remarked. "Our goal is to return home eventually. We said goodbye to our families not too long ago, but there’s still plenty to accomplish up here, and we need to complete everything before we can go back."
NASA has announced that the crew is set to come back to Earth in late March.
