NASA-Boeing astronaut Butch Wilmore reveals why Starliner returned without him and Sunita Williams

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore recently spoke about their ongoing space mission after technical issues forced an extension of their stay. Originally intended as an eight-day journey, their mission aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was prolonged due to malfunctions, and Starliner landed on Earth on September 7 without the astronauts. Williams and Wilmore remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and are scheduled to return to Earth on a SpaceX spacecraft in February 2025.

Williams and Wilmore on Space Mission

During a press conference, Butch Wilmore explained why the Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth without him and Sunita Williams. “We encountered some issues that made us uncomfortable about returning on Starliner,” he said.

“Fortunately, we had space station and that we had other options to stay and come back in different way if that's what the data showed,” Butch Wilmore added.


Williams shared her positive experience of the space mission, describing it as "not that hard" given her previous spaceflights. "This is my happy place. I love being up here in space," Williams said.

"We wanted to take Starliner to completion and land back home, but you know, you have to turn the page and look at the next opportunity," she added.

Williams admitted feeling a bit nervous about the delay, particularly concerning plans she had for the fall and winter, including spending time with family.

"In the back of my mind, there are folks on the ground who have plans, like my family... spending time with my mother. And I think I was fretting more about that, like the things we had planned for this fall or winter... but everybody was on board, and that prepared us," she said.

Voting from Space

Both astronauts also highlighted their commitment to civic responsibilities, even while in space. Wilmore mentioned that he had requested his absentee ballot. "I sent down my request for a ballot today," he noted. Williams echoed this sentiment, expressing her excitement about participating in the voting process from orbit.

Despite their commitment to voting, neither astronaut disclosed which presidential candidate they support—former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris.

History of Space Voting

Voting from space has been possible since 1997, when the Texas legislature passed a bill allowing NASA employees to cast their votes from orbit. NASA astronaut David Wolf became the first American to vote from space that year while aboard the Mir Space Station. In 2020, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins also exercised her right to vote from the ISS.

Inputs from agencies