Needham, Massachusetts, native Suni Williams, 58, is one among two veteran NASA astronauts that have been stuck at the International Space Station since the beginning of June. Now the team has learned they'll have to wait until next year for a ride home with SpaceX.
The two astronauts -- Wiliams and and Butch Wilmore -- blasted off aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule in June 2024 for what was supposed to be a weeklong stay at the space station. But, in another blow to Boeing, the pair experienced a cascade of vexing thruster failures and helium leaks in their capsule marred their trip to the space station, and they ended up in a holding pattern as engineers conducted tests and debated what to do about the trip back.
It's the first flight of Boeing's Starliner with a crew on board, but the retired Navy captains spent months aboard the space station years ago, and joined the test flight after the original crew bowed out as the delays piled up.
Wilmore, 61, is a former combat pilot from Mount Juliet, Tennessee.
Before their June 5 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, they said their families bought into the uncertainty and stress of their professional careers decades ago. During their lone orbital news conference last month, they said they had trust in the thruster testing being conducted. They had no complaints, they added, and enjoyed pitching in with space station work.
Back in June, students at the Sunita L. Williams Elementary School in Needham cheered and jumped up in the air as they watched Williams takeoff on a TV in their classroom. They also sang a special song for her.
Williams also checked in with the school while in space.
Williams attended Needham Public Schools and has a really close relationship with the teachers and students at the elementary school named after her.
Massachusetts resident Kate Tedoldi, who went to high school with Williams, told NBC 10 Boston she is praying for her safe return.
"I'm frightened for her, but I know she's so dedicated and I'm sure she knows how to handle situations like this," said Tedoldi.
Experts say missions that take up to one year are fairly common.
The SpaceX capsule that's currently parked at the space station is reserved for the four residents who have been there since March. They will return in late September, their stay extended a month by the Starliner dilemma. NASA said it would be unsafe to squeeze two more into the capsule, except in an emergency.
So Wilmore and Williams will wait for SpaceX's next taxi flight. It’s due to launch in late September with two astronauts instead of the usual four for a routine six-month stay. NASA yanked two to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return flight in late February.
