Butch Wilmore<\/strong><\/a> were only supposed to be in space for an estimated eight days.<\/p>\nHowever, after experiencing thruster failures and helium leaks before safely docking at the International Space Station (ISS), NASA decided to postpone the pair\u2019s return to Earth\u2014potentially delaying it until February 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know we probably don\u2019t expect him until February, February or March,\u201d said Wilmore\u2019s wife, Deanna<\/strong>.<\/p>\nWilmore, who shares two daughters\u201419-year-old Daryn<\/strong> and 16-year-old Logan<\/strong>\u2014with Deanna, has been able to Facetime his family several times a day from the ISS.<\/p>\n\u201cIt is so cool.\u00a0He gives us a lot of Earth views. I especially like seeing the sunset,\u201d said his eldest daughter.<\/p>\n
Deanna added, \u201cHe just takes it knowing the Lord\u2019s in control, and since the Lord\u2019s in control of it, he\u2019s content where he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just sort of have to roll with it and expect the unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suni\u2019s husband, Michael Williams<\/strong>, mentioned last week that he didn\u2019t think she was disappointed to spend more time at the space station, telling The Wall Street Journal<\/em>, \u201cThat\u2019s her happy place.\u201d<\/p>\nNASA\u2019s chief astronaut, Joe Acaba<\/strong>, stated at a media teleconference on Aug. 14, \u201cIf Butch and Suni do not come home on Starliner and they are kept aboard the station, they will have about eight months on orbit.\u201d<\/p>\nHe added, \u201cWe have done multiple successful, long-duration missions, even up to a year.\u201d<\/p>\n
It remains uncertain whether Wilmore and Williams will have to spend six more months in space or if they\u2019ll return home with another crew in September. The latter option, which NASA would be reluctant to pursue, is for the duo to hitch a ride back to Earth on SpaceX\u2019s Crew Dragon, operated by Elon Musk<\/strong>\u2019s company.<\/p>\nSwitching to SpaceX would require bumping two of the four astronauts assigned to the next ferry flight, currently targeted for late September. Wilmore and Williams would take the empty seats in SpaceX\u2019s Dragon capsule once that half-year mission ends\u2014requiring the two astronauts to stay on the ISS for an additional six months until February 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat mantra you\u2019ve heard, \u2018failure is not an option,\u2019 that\u2019s why we are staying here now,\u201d Wilmore said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe trust that the tests we\u2019re doing are the ones we need to get the right answers, to give us the data we need to come back.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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