Sunita Williams stuck in space: NASA astronaut's mother, husband speak out on her extended stay

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams (Photo Credit - NASA)

As NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore adjust to an extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), their families back on Earth are maintaining a calm and supportive outlook.

Originally scheduled to return to Earth in early June aboard Boeing's Starliner spaceship, the two astronauts are now expected to remain on the ISS until February 2025, when a SpaceX capsule will bring them back home.

This delay follows technical issues with the Starliner, including helium leaks and thruster problems.

Following the unexpected turn of events, Sunita Williams’ husband, Michael J. Williams, and her mother, Bonnie Pandya, have expressed little concern over her prolonged mission in space.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in August 2024, Michael described the ISS as his wife's ‘happy place,’ reflecting her comfort and dedication to her work in space.

Bonnie Pandya, an ‘astronaut mom,’ echoed this sentiment in an interview with NewsNation's Andrew Cuomo on CUOMO. She stated, 'I don’t give her any advice. She knows what to do. She is a seasoned astronaut.'

Pandya also shared that she had spoken to Sunita just two days prior and that her daughter reassured her that ‘everything’s going to be fine.’ Sunita’s message to her mother was simple yet powerful: ‘Don’t worry about me.’

Meanwhile, NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba said Wilmore and Williams prepared for the mission knowing it was a test flight and "might not be perfect."