Stuck-in-space astronauts make first public comments since Boeing capsule left without them

(13 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY: PART MUST CREDIT NASA

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ARCHIVE: International Space Station - 13 June 2024
1. STILL Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft

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International Space Station - 13 September 2024
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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Butch Wilmore, NASA astronaut:
“It’s been quite an evolution over the last three months and it was trying at times. There were some tough times all the way through. You certainly, as the commander and the PLT of your spacecraft, you don't want to see it go off without you. But that's where we wound up.”

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ARCHIVE: Space - 06 September 2024
3. Various of Starliner leaving International Space Station

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International Space Station - 13 September 2024
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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Suni Williams, NASA astronaut:
"I think, like you know, this was not the very first option. We wanted to take Starliner to the completion and land it back on land at home. But, you know, you have to turn the page and look at the next opportunity and, you know, do good for the agency.”

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ARCHIVE: New Mexico - 7 September 2024
5. Uncrewed Boeing Starliner spacecraft landing in White Sands

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ARCHIVE: International Space Station: 9 August 2024
6. STILL astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams inspect safety hardware aboard the International Space Station

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International Space Station - 13 September 2024
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7. SOUNDBITE (English) Suni Williams, NASA astronaut:
"You asked what we miss, right? Of course, you know, the things that we always miss our families. I miss my two dogs. I miss my friends. But you know what? Like Butch said, there are so many people on earth that are sending us messages, and it makes you feel just right at home with everybody, when we're able to have those conversations with our friends and family at home. So I know they understand. I know it's a it's tough on them as well as, you know, being away from home, of course. But, everybody understands and everybody's cheering for us to get back with Crew-9.”

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ARCHIVE: International Space Station - 24 June 2024
8. STILL Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, center, pose with Expedition 71 Flight Engineers Mike Barratt, left, and Tracy Dyson, aboard the International Space Station's Quest airlock

ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Cape Canaveral, Florida - 5 June 2024
9. STILL NASA astronauts Suni Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore stand together for a photo en route to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 for their liftoff on the Boeing Starliner capsule to the international space station
STORYLINE:
Stuck-in-space astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams said Friday it was hard to watch their Boeing capsule return to Earth without them.

"You don't want to see it go off without you," said Wilmore. "But that's where we wound up."

The duo made their first public comments Friday since the Boeing Starliner capsule that took them to the space station returned safely to Earth, leaving them behind. 

"You have to turn the page and look at the next opportunity," said Williams.



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