Sunita Williams Calls Space Her 'Happy Place', Looks Forward To Vote In US Election Via Ballot

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently stuck on the International Space Station (ISS), expressed her contentment, calling it her "happy place" and stating that she "loves" being in space.

Williams, along with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, took off aboard Boeing's Starliner on June 5 for what was initially planned as an eight-day mission in orbit. However, the mission turned into an eight-month stay after the Starliner faced technical issues and returned to Earth without the astronauts.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/NASA

In a video press conference, Williams reflected on the unexpected turn of events, saying, "That's how things go in this business."

The astronaut, who had previous stints on the ISS, found the transition back to station life to be manageable. "This is my happy place. I love being up here in space," she remarked.

Williams expressed some disappointment at not being able to complete the Starliner mission as intended.

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

The duo is now set to return in February 2024 aboard SpaceX's Crew-9 flight. While Williams admitted to some nervousness about not returning home as originally scheduled, she highlighted her concerns about missing time with loved ones.

"In the back of my mind, there are folks on the ground who have some plans like my family... spending time with my mother. And I think I was fretting more about that... but everybody was on board and that prepared us," she said.

Butch Wilmore, on the other hand, expressed no disappointment over the extended stay in space. He acknowledged disagreements about whether they could have returned on Starliner but stated, "We could have gotten to the point, I believe, where we could have returned on Starliner, but we just simply ran out of time."

He added, "We found some things that we just could not get comfortable with putting us back in the Starliner when we had other options."

Both astronauts are now preparing to vote in the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election from space, with Wilmore mentioning that he sent down his request for a ballot.

"It is a very important role that we all play as American citizens," he said.

Sunita Williams echoed his sentiment, describing it as a "very important duty" and expressing excitement about "looking forward to vote from space, which is pretty cool."

The June 5 Starliner launch, which had been delayed for years, marked a major moment for Boeing. However, during its journey, NASA and Boeing identified major snags, including helium leaks and the failure of five out of the capsule's 28 reaction control thrusters.

While the Starliner successfully docked with the ISS, NASA determined it would not be able to generate sufficient thrust for a safe return to Earth. As a result, Williams and Wilmore were transferred to a SpaceX mission, with the Starliner returning to Earth empty.