Stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have been stuck in space for 264 days — on a trip that should have lasted about a week — but Williams’ mom says that the snafu was an honor and that her daughter is happy aboard the International Space Station.

Bonnie Pandya, mother of astronaut Sunita Williams, remains unfazed by her daughter’s prolonged mission in space.

When asked about Elon Musk’s claims about bringing back the two “abandoned” astronauts, Sunita William’s mother Bonnie Pandya said, “I don’t think this should be politicised…”

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June, faces health concerns from microgravity, affecting muscle mass, bone density, and cardiovascular fitness despite rigorous exercise.

Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore, sent to International Space Station for an eight-day mission on June 5, have been stuck for 264 days due to several technical issues.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ mother, Bonnie Pandya, has revealed that it was an honor for her daughter to stay onboard for an extended period of time on the International Space Station during the Starliner mess. For the unversed, it has been more than 250 days for her on the ISS.

Bonnie Pandya dismissed any worries about her daughter as Williams "knows what she is doing" and believed that space was as safe as anywhere else.