CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two astronauts who were supposed to return to Earth weeks ago said Wednesday they are confident Boeing’s space capsule can return them safely despite damage.
NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams released aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule early last month, the first people to fly it. Leaks and failures in the propellers almost hindered his arrival on the International Space Station, and kept them there much longer than planned.
In their first press conference in orbit, they said they hope to return once thruster testing is completed here on Earth. They said they are not complaining about having more time in orbit and are enjoying helping the station’s crew.
“I have a very good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will get us home, no problem,” Williams told reporters.
The two entered orbit on June 5 on the test flight, which was originally supposed to last eight days.
NASA ordered the Starliner and SpaceX Dragon capsules a decade ago for astronaut flights to and from the space station, paying each company billions of dollars. SpaceX’s first taxi flight with astronauts was in 2020. Boeing’s first crew flight has been repeatedly delayed due to software and other issues.
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