Two NASA astronauts who ended up stranded in space for nine months have shared their reactions to finding out their trip had to be extended.
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Barry 'Butch' Wilmore, 62, and Sunita 'Suni' Willians, 59, had initially been due to travel to the International Space Station for just eight days.
However, their short mission aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule ended up being a nine-month stint due to technical malfunctions.
The pair finally splashed down on Earth after 286 days in space, and have now spoken out about how they felt when they found out the length of their trip had increased dramatically.
The pair have revealed their first reactions during a new interview with Fox News’ America’s Newsroom.
Williams said: "My first thought was, we just got to pivot, right? I was like, ‘OK, 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 just jump into it and take on the tasks that were given to us."
Wilmore revealed that while he was sad to miss out on most of his daughter's senior year at high school, he pushed his own emotions to one side.
He explained: "It’s not about me, it’s not about my feelings. It’s about what this human space flight program is about. It’s our national goals.
"I have to wrap myself, my mind, around ‘what does the nation need out of me right now?’
"Did I think about not being there for my daughter’s high school year, of course… certainly, deal with the personal side of it, but I can’t let that interfere with what I’m called to do."
The pair finally returned to Earth aboard Elon Musk's SpaceX's Crew Dragon on March 18, having blasted off on Boeing's new Starliner last June.
When asked about Musk and Donald Trump's interest in space exploration, Williams responded: "They’ve earned my trust, and for that, I am grateful that our national leaders actually are coming in and taking part in our human space flight program.
"It is hugely important [of] global significance that they take an active role. Based on the past and what we see now with them doing that, it is refreshing, not just refreshing, it’s empowering. It’s strengthening," per the New York Post.
Wilmore and Williams are currently undergoing a comprehensive 45-day rehabilitation program at NASA's Johnson Space Center to combat the effects of such a long time in space.
The absence of gravity in space causes muscle atrophy and bone density loss. According to medical experts, astronauts can lose up to 1% of bone density for each month spent in microgravity, potentially resulting in a 9% loss over their mission duration.
Their rehabilitation regimen includes physical therapy to rebuild muscle strength, cardiovascular exercises, and balance training to restore coordination.