It was a story that gripped the world, with Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore becoming the unexpected faces of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

After supposedly going on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station, the idea that two astronauts had been ‘stranded’ in space became quite the spectacle.

Williams and Wilmore finally returned to Earth after 286 days in the stars, and even as they entered a ‘brutal’ recovery regime to try and get back to their pre-flight health, they continued to be the center of a media storm.

Back when they were soaring some 250 miles above us, there were accusations that the Biden administration had ‘abandoned’ Williams and Wilmore. Their extended stay came after an issue with their Boeing Starliner meant NASA concluded it wasn’t safe to send them back to Earth in it. Although SpaceX’s Crew-9 was sent up with two spare seats to accommodate them, all four had to wait for the Crew-10 relief crew in March 2025.

Wilmore admits there were multiple people to blame for the mission’s failure (MARK FELIX / Contributor / Getty)

Wilmore had previously tried to take on some of the blame himself due to his role as mission commander, but across the board, he said blame could be aimed at Boeing, NASA, and all those involved.

When discussing who should be ‘blamed’ for the failure of the mission at a post-landing press conference, Wilmore admitted: “I’ll start with me. There were issues, of course, with what happened with Starliner.

“There were some issues, of course, that happened that prevented us from returning on Starliner.”And I’ll start with me because there were questions that, as the commander of the spacecraft that I should have asked. And I did not, I didn’t know I needed to.”

He continued: “Blame, that’s a term – I don’t like that term – certainly there’s responsibility throughout all the programmes, and certainly you can start with me.”

Still, there’s a responsibility for the issues “all throughout the chain,” meaning Wilmore isn’t taking all of the blame for himself.

Elsewhere, he confirmed that he and Williams were unaware of their newfound fame as they were busy conducting science experiments, carrying out repairs on the ISS, and taking part in spacewalks: “We were just really focused on what we were doing. The world doesn’t revolve around us, but we revolve around it…

“I don’t think we were aware to the degree [people were interested], pretty honoured and humbled by the fact of when we came home, it was like ‘wow there are a lot of people’.”

Even if Wilmore isn’t one to point fingers, we’re sure there’s plenty of finger-pointing going on at the Houston Space Center.

We know there are already commercial Dragon missions planned through until Crew-12’s planned launch in 2026, while SpaceX is also handling the decommissioning of the International Space Station that’s expected to happen in 2030 – even though Elon Musk wants it to be much sooner.

We know what it’s like when you’re told to stay a couple of extra hours at work to lend a hand, but imagine if that ended up with your spending 286 days shackled to your desk. Worse than that, what if that was 250 miles above the Earth, knowing you’ll miss birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas while floating around in a giant tin can?

This was the realization that faced Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, with the pair of NASA astronauts learning their eight-day mission to the International Space Station would be extended to a nine-month stay up there.

While both Wilmore and Williams insist they weren’t stranded up in space, it became a sensationalist story with Elon Musk and President Donald Trump claiming they were abandoned up there by the Biden administration. The POTUS tasked the tech billionaire with fetching them back, and even though that was always the plan, there were attempts to fast-track the Crew-10 relief mission.

Wilmore is taking much of the blame for himself (NASA)

The pair finally returned to Earth for a watery landing alongside two Crew-9 astronauts on March 18. After being rushed off on stretchers and thrown straight into a supposedly ‘brutal’ 45-day regime to try and avoid the side effects of an extended stay in space, Wilmore and Williams are finally ready to tell their side of the story. In a much-hyped press conference they revealed what it was like being aboard the ISS for such an unexpected amount of time, how both are already raring to get back into space, and how Williams was craving a simple grilled cheese sandwich.

One of the big questions is who was to blame for the failure of their Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boe-CFT) mission. The official stance is that an issue with several helium leaks and Starliner’s thrusters when approaching the ISS made it too dangerous to fly Wilmore and Williams back. Ultimately, the unmanned craft flew back to Earth on September 6, leaving Wilmore and Williams waiting for their rescue.

When asked who he thinks is to ‘blame’ for the mission failure, Wilmore admitted that even though he doesn’t like the word, there are many at fault, including himself: “There were some issues, of course, that happened with Starliner, there were some issues, of course, that happened that prevented us from returning on Starliner.

“I’ll start with me. There were questions that I, as the commander of the spacecraft, that I should have asked. And I did not. At the time, I didn’t know I needed to. Maybe you could call that hindsight.”

Wilmore continued: “But I’ll start and point the finger, and I’ll blame me. I could have asked some questions, and the answers to those questions could have turned the tide. So blame, it’s a term, I don’t like that term, but certainly there’s responsibility throughout all the programs and certainly you can start with me.”

He’s not alone in shouldering the blame, though, adding: “Responsibility with Boeing? Yes. Responsibility with NASA? Yes. All the way up and down the chain. We’re all responsible. We all own this.”

We’re sure others will continue pointing the finger of blame more than Wilmore, but according to Crew-9’s Nick Hague, politics were never part of the conversation. Being similarly impartial to Wilmore, Hague concluded: “When we’re up there operating in space, you don’t feel the politics. You don’t feel any of that, it’s focused strictly on mission. The politics don’t make it up there.”

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have a long road ahead of them, and while they insist they weren’t ‘stranded’ on the International Space Station for nine months, it makes a great story.

Although their original mission was only supposed to take eight days after they blasted off on June 5, 2024, it ended up lasting for a whopping 286 days due to issues with their Boeing Starliner and the craft having to be flown back to Earth unmanned.

The Crew-9 rescue mission arrived on the ISS toward the end of September last year, but with the then having to wait for a relief crew to relieve its two astronauts, Williams, and Wilmore, it wouldn’t be until March 2025 that all four made it home.

Wilmore is currently in a 45-day rehab regime (NASA)

There were scenes of jubilation when Williams and Wilmore finally splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, with many thanking Elon Musk and President Donald Trump for lending a hand in getting them home.

Despite concerns about Williams and Wilmore being rushed off on stretchers, this is standard practice for astronauts who’ve spent such a long time in space. With the pair being given the once over by NASA, they been sent home to their families to take part in a ‘brutal’ 45-day rehab regime.

With side effects including a loss of bone density and muscle mass, there’s also an increased chance of cancer due to being bombarded with so much space radiation. Even though most astronauts will return to their pre-flight fitness in that 45-day window, it takes longer for others to get back to their peak.

Now, Wilmore’s wife has revealed what’s ‘changed’ in her husband.

It might only be early days, but speaking to Texas’ WVLT-TV, Deanna Wilmore explained how her husband is currently recuperating at home: “Barry does say gravity is not his friend right now. And you know the stamina is not there, and so they do have to rest and relax quite a bit because they’re just not strong yet.”

Even if Wilmore is struggling with his stamina right now, it hasn’t stopped him from going to work at NASA every day. The astronauts were subjected to two hours of exercise every day while up in space to try and reduce some of the side effects they’re undoubtedly experiencing back on Earth.

In the emotive interview, Deanna Wilmore thanked people for all the support they’ve received and added: “From East Tennessee and all over the world, really, we had so many people tell us they were praying for it. We certainly appreciate all those because we know that the Lord answers prayers and that he brought Crew-9 home safely, and those prayers definitely helped do the job”

For now, Wilmore and his family will continue staying out of the limelight like they used to before.

Stranded NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore has issued a message to President Donald Trump days after the rescue mission.

Both Wilmore and Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams were left stuck in space after experiencing faults with their Boeing spacecraft.

After NASA deemed it too unsafe for a return trip, the spacecraft came back to Earth empty and the pair’s eight-day mission turned into over nine months as they waited to be rescued.

Williams and Wilmore spent their time between June 2024 and March 2025 aboard the International Space Station before they hitched a lift with a SpaceX vessel earlier this month.

Now, they have taken part in their first interview since returning home with America’s Newsroom co-anchor Bill Hemmer.

When asked about their initial reactions to the news that their stay in space would be extended, Williams said: “My first thought was, ‘we’ve just gotta pivot, right?’. If this was the destiny of the way our spacecraft was gonna go home based on decisions made here then we’re gonna be up there until February, I was like, ‘okay, let’s make the best of it.

“We planned, we trained that we’d be there for some part of a time so we were ready to jump into it and take on the task that were given to us.”

Wilmore added: “It’s not about me, it’s not about my feelings, it’s about what the spaceflight program is about. It’s our national goals and I have to wrap my mind around, ‘what does our nation need outta me right now?’.

Wilmore shared his thoughts on President Trump and Elon Musk (YouTube/@FoxNews)

“Did I think about not being there for my daughters’ high school year? Of course, but compartmentalize.

“We’ve trained them to be resilient, my daughters and my family, we talk about these things. We talk about the fact that there’s no given, this is a test flight, we don’t know what’s gonna happen, we might not be back in eight days or whatever the plan was.

“Yeah, certainly deal with the personal side of it but I can’t let that interfere with what I’m called to do that day.”

Speaking about attracting the attention of Trump and Elon Musk, Wilmore said: “I have no reason not believe anything they say because they have earned by trust and for that, I am grateful that our national leaders actually are coming in and taking part in our human spaceflight program which we see as hugely important global significance and they take an active role and based on the past and what we see know, based on them doing that, it’s refreshing.

“Not just refreshing, it’s empowering, it’s strengthening.”