Stranded NASA astronauts reveal things they will miss about space when they return to Earth

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore left Earth for the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024.

Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore shared their excitement about returning to Earth (Image source: BBC)

After spending nearly nine months longer than scheduled in space, Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore prepare to return to Earth. During a press conference on Tuesday from the International Space Station (ISS), Wilmore and Williams shared their excitement about returning to Earth while also expressing a sense of sadness about leaving the space that has been their home for so long.

Williams shared that she would “miss everything about space,” although the journey had been a “rollercoaster” for the families on Earth, as they were uncertain if they would return. She acknowledged that this uncertainty had been the most challenging aspect, the BBC reported. She also said that sleeping in space is surprisingly easy.

Wilmore, on the other hand, emphasised that the aches and pains disappear while in space. When asked about the most exciting part of the mission, Wilmore reflected that the greatest responsibility was getting someone into a spacewalk suit. He described the proudest moment as opening the hatch and bringing them back in after the walk.

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According to The Guardian, Williams and Wilmore will have to wait until their replacements arrive at the ISS next week before they can return later this month. In an interview with CNN earlier, Williams and Wilmore confirmed that Nasa’s Crew-10 mission is set to launch from Earth on March 12 and return with them on March 19.

The Crew-10 mission will carry Nasa astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov to the ISS for a six-month mission.

Williams and Wilmore left Earth for the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, but technical issues prevented them from returning as planned.

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