Starliner Commander Accepts Responsibility for Mission Issues, Highlights Team Effort
Butch Wilmore, the commanding officer of the Boeing Starliner mission that recently encountered technical challenges while carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station, has taken responsibility for the issues, while also emphasizing the collective accountability of the entire team, Fox News reports.
Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams, who returned to Earth after an extended stay in space due to helium leaks and thruster malfunctions discovered shortly after docking with the ISS, addressed reporters in Texas on Monday to discuss their experience.
When questioned about who was responsible for the problems encountered during the test flight, which ultimately prolonged their mission, Wilmore expressed his aversion to the term “blame.” Instead, he asserted that responsibility rests with everyone involved in the program, including Boeing and NASA.
He emphasized the critical importance of trust in spaceflight and praised the willingness of individuals within various organizations to acknowledge their role in contributing to the issues.
“We all are responsible. We all own this. You cannot do this business without trust. You have to have ultimate trust, and for someone to step forward in all these different organizations and say, ‘Hey. I’m culpable for part of that issue.’ That goes a long way to maintaining trust,” Wilmore said.
Despite the challenges encountered during the mission, both Wilmore and Williams expressed their willingness to return to space aboard the Starliner. Wilmore cited the commitment of Boeing and NASA to rectifying the spacecraft’s problems as his reason for confidence, while Williams affirmed the Starliner’s underlying capabilities.
