Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore spoke to the media at a press conference from space on Tuesday (March 4). Nick Hague, another astronaut on the ISS, also accompanied them. Speaking about their unexpected stay, the two astronauts shared their experience of staying at the ISS for such a long time. Williams said that her stay was marked by some "exciting moments".

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After being on the International Space Station for almost nine months, Williams and Wilmore are now preparing to return to Earth. The eight-day trip turning into a months-long one has been a topic of discussion among scientists and even politicians.

Sunita Williams told reporters that she would "miss everything about space" after she returns home. However, she admitted that the unexpected turn of events was hard on their families who didn't know when were they coming back. 

Butch Wilmore was on the same page as Williams and said that even though they were supposed to stay at the ISS for eight days, they had come prepared for a longer trip. 

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"We came up prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short," Wilmore said in response to a reporter.

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"That's what human space flight is all about, planning for unexpected contingencies and we did that."

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Watching auroras from space

Sunita Williams shared that one of her best moments during her stay at the ISS was watching the auroras from space. "The sun has been really active - it puts you in your place and you recognise that the universe is extremely powerful."

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Responding to a question on whether age affects space travel in any way, both Wilmore and Williams quipped with interesting replies. Sunita Williams said that sleep comes easier in space and it is easier as well. Meanwhile, Wilmore said that the weightlessness of space helps ease aches and pains.

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Sharing his most exciting moment at the ISS, Wilmore said that putting someone else in a spacesuit and then opening the hatch and bringing them back in was his proudest moment.

When will Sunita Williams return?

The two astronauts will return aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule when crew 10 arrives at the ISS "no earlier than 12 March", a NASA spokesperson said.

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The two crews will then carry out a handover of duties, but no definite time has been provided for it. 

Williams and Wilmore also answered questions about the Boeing Starliner. When asked if they would have been happy to return on their original vessel, the Starliner, Wilmore said that they would have taken it if they were told to.

Now that they would be returning on a SpaceX Dragon capsule, he said they are "fortunate and thankful" to have seats.

"We'll be coming home, riding the plasma, splashing in the ocean, so that's what we're looking forward to," he added.