NASA astronauts are 'grateful' for the extra time in space instead of 'fretting' over the extended mission.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore confirmed on Friday that they are not concerned about the delay in their return to Earth, which has been extended by several months, and instead expressed their gratitude for the additional time they have been given in space.

"We're not surprised when plans get changed," Williams said, with her hair standing on end, during an afternoon press conference a week after the troubled Boeing Starliner that carried the pair to the space station in June returned to Earth on its own.

On June 5, Williams and Wilmore were launched to the ISS on a Boeing Starliner, but helium leaks and thruster problems on board caused concerns.

The decision was made to prolong the astronauts' stay at the space station, and they are anticipated to return in February with a crew launching in a SpaceX Dragon capsule this month, leaving two seats vacant.

Starliner's problems will result in "lessons learned," and the "things that need to change will change," according to Wilmore.

""We couldn't feel comfortable returning to the Starliner after discovering issues, so we opted for other options," he stated."

Wilmore stated that he and Williams were "extremely fortunate" to have the opportunity to stay longer at ISS and return home on a different spacecraft.

He stated that if they had more time, they believed they could have resolved the problems with Starliner and safely returned home on their own, but unfortunately, they "ran out of time."

He stated that we needed to establish a schedule for some choices.

Wilmore mentioned "2 Corinthians 12:9-10" to a Planet Chronicle reporter when asked about how his faith has helped him at the space station.

He told me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, and my power is perfected in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast about my weaknesses so that Christ's power can rest on me. That's why I love weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties because when I am weak, I am strong.

The pair has been fully qualified crew members at the space station and has been training on the job during their extended stay, as stated by Williams.

She stated that the duo are "excited to fly in two different spacecrafts. … We are testers."

She advised that you should turn the page and examine the next opportunity to benefit the agency.

Astronauts are trained to handle all types of situations, and they must adapt to whatever circumstances arise.

"What we do at NASA is more about our identity than our actions."

Starliner's return was a topic of much debate, as Williams stated.

"The decision was made that it was too risky to send them home on Starliner," she said, although it would have required a large number of individuals to bring us to and from the space station.

"Wilmore told a reporter that he was not going to worry about things he couldn't control, even though it took some time to adjust to the delay. He said that it was a short-lived feeling."

Williams acknowledged that she was more concerned about missing fall and winter events with her family than for her own well-being.

She expressed her happiness that Starliner returned without any issues on Sept. 6.

Wilmore joked that he had the "second-best hair" at the space station while admiring Williams' long, curly locks.

He stated that transitioning to space and returning to Earth is comfortable.

"In space, joint aches and pains are not as common as they are on Earth due to microgravity's effects on the body," he stated.

Astronauts can lose bone density and mass in space, so they focus on working out every morning before work, including cardio and a machine that helps them do dead lifts and squats.

"This is my happy place," she said.

While it has been challenging to miss some of his children's milestones this year, Wilmore believes that they will "learn and grow from this experience."

Aside from conducting "world-class science" at the space station, Williams finds it "very peaceful," allowing her to be "introspective" while observing "our planet go by."

""From up here in space, it's difficult for me to imagine people on Earth not getting along," she stated."