NASA Astronauts Say They Would Take Starliner Again After 9-Month Stay in Space

Problems with the Boeing capsule forced them to extend their stay, but they remained confident in the craft. ‘We’re going to make it work,’ said Butch Wilmore.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams (L) and Butch Wilmore answer questions during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 post-flight news conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on March 31, 2025. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

The NASA astronauts who recently returned from their unexpected nine-month stay on the International Space Station said they would go on the mission again “in a heartbeat.”

During a press briefing on Monday at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore opened up about the “unique mission” in their first news conference since returning to Earth.