NASA Astronauts Stuck in Space for 7 Months Dismiss Fears for Their Safety: 'It Doesn't Feel Like We're Cast Away'

For seven months, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who arrived at the International Space Station on June 5 for what was planned as an eight-day mission, have been adrift—though they insist there's no cause for concern.

"No, it doesn't feel like we're cast away," Williams assured during a video call with NASA officials this week while discussing the extended mission's challenges.

Safety concerns prompted NASA to return the Boeing Starliner spacecraft to Earth without its crew, extending the astronauts' stay aboard the ISS. It was later decided that they would return in 2025 using a SpaceX craft. Despite the prolonged isolation, Wilmore and Williams found a sense of purpose in the unexpected stay.

"Yeah, eventually we want to go home because we left our families a little while ago," Williams said as first reported by the Daily Mail, "but we have a lot to do while we're up here." As the commander of Expedition 72, Williams has been managing a packed schedule of science experiments, maintenance tasks, and upcoming spacewalks alongside her crewmates, including Nick Hague and Don Pettit​​.

The lack of immediate resources hasn't fazed the astronauts either. When they arrived, personal items like clothing were left behind to make room for cargo.

"It was well known that when we came up here, we swapped out a couple of components that we needed on the space station for some of our clothes," Wilmore shared. "So we wore (the same) clothes for a while, but that doesn't bother us." Thanks to a resupply mission in September, the team now has fresh gear​.

"So what you're telling us is you're not channeling Cast Away, and you don't have a volleyball with a handprint on it that you call Wilson," joked NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy during a video chat, addressing rumors about isolation aboard the ISS.

"No, we've got a whole team up here," Williams reassured, "so we're not worried about that." She added, "There's a lot to do as well with the team on the ground. It's just a great team, and, no, it doesn't feel like we're cast away."

With upcoming spacewalks and a focus on exploring space phenomena such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, advanced life support systems, and genetic sequencing in microgravity, the mission hopes to expand knowledge that benefits life on Earth and beyond.

The astronauts noted that they haven't yet observed the California wildfires from the ISS, as the station's orbit hasn't taken them over the affected areas. They shared plans to capture images when the opportunity arises, with hopes to help emergency responders.

"It's been a joy to be working up here," Williams added.

The astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth with their crew in early April. "There's a lot to do as well with the team on the ground," as Williams put it.

The situation bringing attention to the intricate nature of space rescue operations, with some advocating for a proactive approach to address them before a true emergency happens.