“Heartfelt Plea: NASA Astronaut’s Daughter Speaks Out on Her Father’s Uncertainty in Space—What’s Her Surprising Question?”

What would you do if your dad was floating around in space, stranded and missing out on family celebrations? That’s the reality for Daryn Wilmore, whose father, NASA astronaut Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore, has been stuck aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024. What began as a routine eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner has turned into an astonishing nine-month saga, marred by technical glitches and interstellar politics. Daryn recently opened up about the challenges of navigating this peculiar situation from Earth, revealing how her family’s struggle goes beyond just the physical distance. She’s missed dad at Christmas—his 30-year wedding anniversary too! In her candid remarks, she mentioned how the whole ordeal has been hard and confusing, noting the layers of bureaucracy involved. As the wait continues, with no clear end in sight, her emotional journey sheds light on the human side of space exploration. To get all the details, LEARN MORE.

The daughter of an astronaut stranded in space has opened up about how difficult it’s been.

NASA astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024.

What was supposed to be an eight-day mission has turned into a nine month wait after the duo hopped aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on 5 June 2024.

Wilmore and Williams have been forced to extend their stay due to technical issues with the spacecraft, which include thruster failures and helium leaks.

Now, Wilmore’s daughter Daryn has come out on social media to vent her frustrations.

“It’s been hard if we’re completely honest,” the 19-year-old living in Houston, Texas with her mum and sister said.

She noted that it’s ‘less the fact that he’s up there’ and ‘more the fact of why’.

“There’s a lot of politics, there’s a lot of things that I’m not at liberty to say, and that I don’t know fully about,” Daryn added, saying that Wilmore has missed Christmas and his 30-year wedding anniversary.

Daryn misses her father (WVLT)

Daryn facetiming her dad in space (TikTok/@darynthepuff.cos)

“But there’s been issues. There’s been negligence. And that’s the reason why this has just kept getting delayed. There’s just been issue after issue after issue.”

Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return no earlier than 19 March, with Elon Musk’s SpaceX tasked with bringing the crew back to Earth.

“I talk to my dad all the time,” Daryn said in a video from October.

“That makes things really nice. I miss him so much.

“But fingers crossed, things could always change. And especially with this whole thing — we’ve had so many changes. And it’s a bit mentally exhausting.”

NASA astronauts Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been on board the ISS since June 2024 (MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)

This comes after Williams and Wilmore were asked in a press conference on Tuesday (4 March) if the Joe Biden administration declined Musk’s offer to bring them back previously.

“I can only say that Mr Musk, what he says, is absolutely factual,” Wilmore said.

“So I believe him. I don’t know all those details, and I don’t think any of us really can give you the answer that maybe that you would be hoping for.”

Musk said a day later on X: “The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for eight days and now have been there for eight months.

“SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden-Harris White House (not NASA) refused to allow it.

“President Trump asked to bring them back as soon as possible and we are doing so.”