Sunita Williams’ No-Filter Reaction to Space Mission Setback-NASA Astronaut Tells All | WATCH

New Delhi: For astronauts, every mission is well planned. But sometimes, space has its own plans. When NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore learned they wouldn’t be coming home as scheduled, their first thoughts weren’t of fear or frustration. In their first interview after returning to Earth, speaking to Fox News, they shared their emotional journey of an unexpected nine-month stay in space.

Sunita Williams: ‘I Was a Little Excited’

When asked about her reaction upon realizing they wouldn’t be coming home soon, Sunita Williams was all optimistic. 

"My first thought was, we just got to pivot, right?" she said. "If our spacecraft wasn't coming home and we were staying until February, I thought, okay, let's make the best of it."  Williams had already spent time aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in previous missions. The idea of living in space longer than expected didn’t seem daunting to her in fact, it was thrilling. 

"Deep inside, I was actually a little excited because I love living in space. I love everything about it—the science, the experiments, the way the space station has evolved. I was honored to be a part of it again," she shared.  She described herself as a “lab tech”, ready to assist fellow astronauts with anything they needed.  "This mission was bigger than us," she said. "We had to step up, help out, and keep pushing forward."  

Butch Wilmore: ‘It’s Not About Me’ 

For Butch Wilmore, the situation required a different kind of mental adjustment. "Honestly, it's not about me. It's about what this human spaceflight program is about. It's about our national goals," Wilmore said.  

His thoughts turned to his daughter, who was beginning her high school year.  

"Did I think about not being there for my daughter's high school year? Of course," he said. "But I had to compartmentalize. My family and I had talked about this possibility. We knew this was a test flight. We didn’t know what was going to happen."  

"I can’t let my personal emotions interfere with what I’m called to do in the moment," he added.