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![IN SPACE - FEBRUARY 18: In this photo provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, the International Space Station is seen from Atlantis as the orbiter undocks February 18, 2008 in space. Atlantis delivered the long awaited, $2 billion Columbus science lab addition built by the ESA to the space station. (Photo by ESA/NASA via Getty Images)](https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-79840097-800x516.jpg)
OAN’s Taylor Tinsley
3:41 PM – Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Two astronauts stuck on the International Space Station say they’re confident that Boeing’s Starliner can bring them home.
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An eight-day mission has turned into a month’s long journey for flight commander Barry Wilmore and former U.S. Navy Captain Sunita Williams.
They’ve been aboard the International Space Station longer than expected due to several mechanical failures, including helium leaks and issues with the thrusters “control and capability.”
The two astronauts spoke to the media from space on Wednesday, saying their confident the spacecraft will bring them home with no problem.
“We’ve practiced a lot, so I have a feeling I have a real good feeling in my heart that, this spacecraft will bring us home, no problem,” Williams said. “But like Butch said, we’re learning now to make to optimize our specific situation and make sure that we know everything about it. You know, if we just came home, we’d lose the SM, and then we wouldn’t be able to go through all this testing and understand about our spacecraft.”
Teams on the ground are also putting Starliner’s thruster through similar conditions the spacecraft endured on its journey in order to ensure it’s ready for future missions.
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