Sunita Williams said it was a test flight and they were expecting some finding which could be used to improve the next flight. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams blasted off on June 5.
Their return from space was pushed back because of thruster malfunctions and helium leaks that came to light during the journey. It is not yet ascertained as when they will come back home.
But before Wilmore and Williams return, ground teams need to run more testing to better understand the root causes of some of the technical issues Starliner experienced."We're absolutely confident," Wilmore said Wednesday. He said the two astronauts tested a "Safe Haven procedure," sheltering inside Starliner in the event they needed to suddenly undock from the ISS.
The test went well.He said everything is in place "as what we know now". He said the team is doing "thruster testing"Meanwhile, Williams said, “I have a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem." She said, “We have practiced a lot! We are learning now how to optimize our specific situation and make sure that we know everything about it.""We've been through a lot of simulations...and I think where we are right now…I feel confident that if we had to, if there was a problem with the International Space Station, we could get in our spacecraft, we could undock, talk to our team and figure out the best way to come home," Williams added.About their stay at the International Space Station, Wilmore said, "It's a great place to be, a great place to live and a great place to work." He also shared details about their first few days on the mission.The launch was spectacular, it's been truly amazing and then we got into our operational capabilities checks, and the
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