In a recent update, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams shared their thoughts on not being able to witness the return of the Boeing Starliner capsule that transported them to the International Space Station (ISS) in June. This marks their first public comments since the capsule's return last week. However, due to safety concerns surrounding the malfunction-ridden capsule, they were not permitted to travel back in it.

Williams expressed that it was difficult to observe the capsule's return without them, but acknowledged that such situations are part of the space industry. In her words, "That's how it goes in this business." She emphasized the need to move forward and focus on upcoming opportunities. Both Wilmore and Williams are now active members of the ISS crew, contributing to routine maintenance and ongoing experiments.

The transition to living on the space station was relatively smooth for the duo, as they had previous experiences on board. Williams, who is expected to assume the role of station commander in the near future, described the station as her "happy place" and expressed her love for being in space.

Wilmore and Williams will continue their stay at the orbiting laboratory until late February. Their return will be facilitated by a SpaceX capsule, with its launch slated for later this month. The SpaceX capsule will have a reduced crew of two, leaving two empty seats specifically reserved for Wilmore and Williams.

Both astronauts expressed their gratitude for the support and well-wishes they received from strangers back home. However, Wilmore mentioned that he will miss out on important family milestones, such as his youngest daughter's final year of high school.

The Starliner mission marked Boeing's first successful spaceflight involving astronauts. However, it faced a series of challenges, including thruster failures and helium leaks, before finally reaching the ISS on June 6th. While the capsule safely landed in the New Mexico desert earlier this month, the future of Boeing's involvement in NASA's commercial crew program remains uncertain.

NASA enlisted the services of SpaceX and Boeing as orbital taxi providers a decade ago, following the retirement of the space shuttles. SpaceX has been successfully ferrying astronauts since 2020, but the setbacks faced by Boeing raise questions about the company's future role in NASA's endeavors.

As Wilmore and Williams continue their work on the ISS, they remain grateful for the ongoing support from all. Their determination and resilience exemplify the spirit of exploration and collaboration that drives the astronaut community as they strive to further humanity's presence in space.