Trapped astronauts show first cracks with haunting plea from International Space Station
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The American astronauts who have been stranded in space for seven months have hinted at the toll their unexpected mission is taking. Butch Wilmore, 62, and Sunita Williams, 59, were heard telling NASA bigwigs 'eventually, we want to go home' during a video call on Wednesday.
![[Butch Wilmore, 62, and Suni Williams, 59, have been stuck at the ISS since June when their spacecraft had to leave without them]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/19/93915681-14267143-Butch_Wilmore_62_and_Suni_Williams_59_have_been_stuck_at_the_ISS-a-47_1736449600345.jpg)
The pair first landed at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 and they have been stuck there ever since. Their visit was only supposed to be eight days long. But due to safety concerns, NASA decided to send the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they arrived on back to Earth without anyone inside.
![[The Boeing Starliner that Wilmore and Williams arrived to the ISS was sent back without the crew due to safety concerns]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/19/93915685-14267143-The_Boeing_Starliner_that_Wilmore_and_Williams_arrived_to_the_IS-a-45_1736449600337.jpg)
In August 2024, it was decided that the left-behind astronauts would return home on a SpaceX aircraft in 2025. On Wednesday, Wilmore and Williams joined fellow astronauts Nick Hague, 49, and Don Pettit, 69, at the ISS to share more details about their lives in space.
![[Williams has become the commander of Expedition 72. Wilmore is a flight engineer for the mission]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/19/93915669-14267143-Williams_has_become_the_commander_of_Expedition_72_Wilmore_is_a_-a-48_1736449600346.jpg)
The astronauts participated in a video call with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. Williams shared how she and Wilmore have been feeling about their shocking circumstances and adapting to their extended space stay. 'Yeah, eventually we want to go home, because we left our families a little while ago, but we have a lot to do while we’re up here,' she revealed.
![[Williams said they are not 'cast away' in space, but the pair would like to get back to their families as soon as they can]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/19/93915679-14267143-Williams_said_they_are_not_cast_away_in_space_but_the_pair_would-a-46_1736449600340.jpg)
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, Don Pettit and Suni Williams (from left to right) spoke about their experiences in space on Wednesday. Butch Wilmore, 62, and Suni Williams, 59, have been stuck at the ISS since June when their spacecraft had to leave without them.
