Featured Image Credit: YouTube/ReelNASA
Topics: Space, International Space Station, NASA
Callum Jones
The daughter of Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, who has been stuck in space for the past nine months, has spoken out amid continued delays with her astronaut dad's return to normal civilization.
Sunita Williams and Wilmore were initially launched into space from Cape Canaveral Space Force on June 5 last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission.
But those keeping track of their story will know it's been anything but.
As the capsule they were in approached the International Space Station (ISS), its thrusters malfunctioned, leaving them stranded.
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While they have been up in space for such a long time, Williams and Wilmore have managed to keep themselves busy on the ISS.
They have both been tasked with jobs during their time up there, while space-walks have also been common - but they'll certainly be happy to return to Earth when they emerge from a SpaceX capsule this month.
Daryn Wilmore, Wilmore's 16-year-old daughter, has blamed 'negligence' and 'a lot of politics' for the reason as to why her dad is still up in space.
Originally speaking in a post last month, Daryn said: "He’s missed out on a lot. It’s less the fact that he’s up there sometimes; it’s more the fact of why.
"There’s a lot of politics, there’s a lot of things that I’m not at liberty say in that I don’t know fully about. But there’s been issues, there’s been negligence. It’s just been issue after issue after issue."
While Daryn hasn't seen her father for the best part of nine months, she speaks to her astronaut dad daily and is looking forward to seeing him in person later this month, if all goes to plan.
She added: "Recently we found out he will most likely be coming back in mid-March, which is so exciting, and I miss him so much, and I can only wait to hug his neck and see my sister graduate high school and see the show I’m in right now.
"But, fingers crossed, things could always change and especially with this whole thing. We’ve had so many changes. He’s just been bummed, but he’s fine. My dad has always been resilient."
When Wilmore and Williams are back on home soil, they will have to wait before they can go back to normal family life, as they will initially be sent off to for medical evaluations having spent nine months up in space.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and Air Force veteran, has warned the astronauts could need up to six weeks of rehabilitation until they ultimately regain their previous strength.