Houston - What was meant to be a routine eight-day test flight turned into a high-stakes, 10-month odyssey in space for NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. The duo found themselves facing life-or-death uncertainty when their Boeing Starliner capsule experienced thruster issues as they approached the International Space Station (ISS).

Their spacecraft’s failure to respond properly during the docking phase meant their safe return to Earth was suddenly up in the air.

“Docking was imperative,” Wilmore told the Wafricnews. “If we weren’t able to dock, would we be able to make it back? We didn’t know.”

With no guarantee of returning to Earth, both astronauts were forced to rely on training, teamwork, and the ground crew’s guidance. “You sort of read each other’s minds,” Williams said, recalling how they silently processed the gravity of the situation before shifting focus to survival and solutions.

The drama began in June 2024 as part of Boeing’s first-ever crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft. Though they eventually managed to dock, persistent technical problems made the return trip aboard Starliner too risky. The decision was made: they would wait in orbit until SpaceX could bring them home.

While the astronauts remained productive—conducting experiments aboard the ISS—their prolonged stay made headlines, with some media framing their situation as being “stranded.” However, NASA emphasized that alternate spacecraft were always available for emergency evacuation.

Still, their unexpected extended mission sparked political controversy. Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly blamed President Joe Biden for “abandoning” the astronauts in space. Both Wilmore and Williams dismissed the noise, saying they never felt neglected.

“We knew nobody was going to just let us down... everyone had our back,” Williams said, adding that mission control and NASA’s global partners were in constant contact.

Eventually, on March 18, 2025, the astronauts returned safely via a SpaceX capsule. Since their return, they’ve been assisting NASA and Boeing in troubleshooting the issues that marred the Starliner’s test run.

Despite the harrowing experience, both astronauts say they would fly in the Starliner again—once its technical challenges are ironed out. “It’s a very capable spacecraft,” Williams said. “It has unique capabilities that make it an asset for the future of human spaceflight.”

Wilmore, for his part, said the mission left him in the best physical shape of his life. “Squats and deadlifts, every single day for almost 10 months,” he said. “I came back stronger than I’ve ever been.”

Williams echoed the sentiment, though she admitted gravity was a rude awakening. “Getting gravity back on your head and back is a little painful,” she joked.

For now, both astronauts are back on Earth, but their mission—filled with resilience, calm under pressure, and technical bravery—continues to inspire.


By WafricNews Desk.