AMNA NAWAZ: For NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the long wait to return to Earth is almost over.

They went up to the International Space Station last June in a Boeing Starliner spacecraft and were supposed to return about a week later.

But because of problems with the Starliner, they have stayed at the space station for over 250 days and are now set to return on a SpaceX capsule next month.

I spoke with them, along with their crewmate Nick Hague earlier today.

Commander Williams, Captain Wilmore and Colonel Hague, welcome to the "NewsHour."

Thank you so much for joining us.

CMDR.

SUNITA WILLIAMS, Astronaut: It's just absolutely our pleasure to be here on the "PBS NewsHour" with you.

It's great to be able to talk about space, because I know a lot of people are interested, so thank you for taking the time.

AMNA NAWAZ: We're so grateful for your time.

Commander Williams, when you first went up last June, let's remind folks here, you were only supposed to be up there about a week or so.

You have now been up in space about 250 days.

You have probably heard in the conversation back here on Earth some people saying you are stuck up there, other people saying that you were abandoned up there.

I'm just curious for your take.

How do you look at it?

Do you feel stuck or abandoned?

CMDR.

SUNITA WILLIAMS: You know, I wouldn't characterize it like that.

I think, obviously, there's a lot of discussion about it, so maybe people could conceive that that's the way we are, but we're not stuck.

We're part of a bigger process, right?

We're part of an International Space Station crew, and we just happened to be the second part, the second two on the crew that was -- that came up here.

Nick came up here with one other gentleman, and it's usually four of us up here for an increment.

And so Butch and I extended to go along with that increment, per the plan, because those spacecraft rotate every six months or so.

So nothing is really for -- as Butch put it before, it's not about Butch and I.

It's about our obligation to our international partners and fulfilling the world-class science that we're doing up here on the International Space Station.

AMNA NAWAZ: And I want to ask more about that work, and Colonel Hague's role in all this too, but Captain Wilmore, I have to ask.

It may seem trivial, but presumably you would pack differently for seven days than you would for 10 months.

I mean, do you have and have you had what you need up there in the way of clothes and toiletries and so on?

CAPT.

BUTCH WILMORE, Astronaut: We did launch with fewer clothing, if you will, and that was intentional.

We brought up some extra gear that needed -- the space station needed.

We brought it up with us.

So we took some of our clothes off.

We were only going to be here a week or so.

But we made do.

It was no big deal, honestly.

The space station program plans for multiple contingencies.

We stockpile food to last four months beyond what is expected, at a minimum.

Some -- most times, it's longer than that, food and other amenities, wet wipes, everything that you need up here.

It takes a lot for human spaceflight, for humans to live in space since the year 2000.

So we have been at it 25 years almost now.

And that is just a normal part of the process.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Colonel Hague, tell us about your role here.

You arrived at the space station in September.

Was part of your mission to bring some of those additional supplies for Commander Williams and Captain Wilmore?

And tell us a little bit about the work that you have been doing aboard the space station as well.

COL. NICK HAGUE, Astronaut: Yes, when we arrived in late September, we did bring up some essential supplies that we needed immediately.

But we have had cargo vehicle -- one cargo vehicle show up in between.

And so what have we been up to?

I got to tell, for life on board the space station, we're having a lot of fun, we're laughing every day, and we're doing some really serious scientific research.

We're working on material science research.

We're working on biological research.

We're growing plants.

We're trying to figure out how to prevent and treat diseases on the ground.

And we're also trying to figure out how to grow food so we can go to Mars someday.

AMNA NAWAZ: Commander Williams, we should also mention, over the course of this trip, you have now broken the record for total space walking time by a woman astronaut, so a total of 62 hours and six minutes outside the ship in space.

I have to ask, did you know that you broke that record when it happened?

And what was that moment like?

CMDR.

SUNITA WILLIAMS: Not really.

When you're on a space walk, you're pretty intense on what's going on outside.

That's pretty much forefront on your mind.

I knew that I had a lot of space walks as I came into this mission.

I didn't really know the hours or really pay attention to it that much.

It's sort of just happenstance in time and place.

But I know Peggy Whitson really well and respect her a whole lot.

and to actually surpass her in anything is just amazing.

So that's a pretty awesome honor to have that.

AMNA NAWAZ: Captain Wilmore, I once asked an astronaut to describe for me as best as he could what it felt like to leave the space station, to exit that hatch, which I understand points straight down.

So you see nothing but space when you basically flip and head out of the space station into space.

What that moment feels like.

And he described it as horrifying, but also the biggest thrill that you could ever imagine.

What is that like for you?

Can you describe that?

CAPT.

BUTCH WILMORE: I can't, no.

There's no way to put it into words adequately.

It's thrilling.

It's amazing.

And one of the things that makes it special is that, during that time you're outside, there's nobody else in the entire universe doing what you're doing.

And that -- that's a unique experience, in and of itself.

And, of course, the view is unbelievable.

It's 180 degrees.

It's a helmet, a visor around the side.

It's an 180-degree view.

And it is mesmerizing.

That's -- there's a couple of adjectives for you, but that doesn't do it justice.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, Colonel Hague, I'm going to assume that keeping a pretty regular routine is key to life up in the space station.

So just walk us through it.

What does a typical day look like?

Does every day kind of start the same way for you?

COL. NICK HAGUE: Yes, a typical day, the day starts early.

You know, I will get up at 6:00 a.m. We -- and it's a chance to eat breakfast and have some coffee and check some e-mail.

But then the workday starts at 7:30 in the morning.

And then it goes until 7:30 in the evening.

What we do on any given day just depends on what the team on the ground has planned and worked out that we're going to be able to do, science, maintenance.

A big chunk of that is taking care of ourselves to make sure that we don't suffer the negative effects of living in weightlessness.

And so we spend 2.5 hours a day every day working out lifting weights, exercising cardiovascular system.

COL. NICK HAGUE: Yes, Suni -- Suni has been bulking up for the return trip, so she can withstand gravity when we get down to the ground.

AMNA NAWAZ: You have mentioned you are able to occasionally speak with your families back home, who I know are making such a big sacrifice with all of you up there, especially for as long as you have been there.

I just wonder.

Colonel Hague, kick us off here.

I know you have two sons back home.

When's the last time you talked to them?

What do you talk about when you get that chance?

COL. NICK HAGUE: Yes, I spoke to him over the weekend.

We have got pretty regular contact.

And what do we talk about?

We talk about all the normal things that a dad talks to his sons about, basketball practice and what he's working on.

How is school going?

I have got a son that's getting ready to head off to college next year.

Where are you going to go and have you heard back from the places you have applied?

All the normal things that you would talk about.

CAPT.

BUTCH WILMORE: Yes, I talk to my oldest daughter about things that interest her.

She's in the theater program at a university in Texas, and those things are interesting to her, and, therefore, it's very interesting to me.

And my youngest daughter, it's a full gamut.

I talk about many things.

She has a boyfriend.

I talk to her boyfriend.

CAPT.

BUTCH WILMORE: I'm very direct with him as well.

So, yes, it's all important.

AMNA NAWAZ: Wait, you talk to your daughter's boyfriend from space?

That has to be the most intimidating thing for a boyfriend.

CAPT.

BUTCH WILMORE: Oh, absolutely.

I mean, that's my role.

As a dad to daughters, that's my responsibilities.

AMNA NAWAZ: I just have to say, I mean, obviously, the contributions that you all are making through this work is -- they're absolutely immeasurable.

Back here at home, what's the message you want people to take away from this chance that they're getting to hear directly from you while you're there in space?

CAPT.

BUTCH WILMORE: I will make it quick.

Your human spaceflight program is here for you.

That's what my message would be to all the folks back there.

We work.

We train.

We prepare.

We are committed to what we -- what our responsibilities are, what our national goals are, what -- our international partners and all, and we work together for that.

And we are here to work for you all.

CMDR.

SUNITA WILLIAMS: And I will add, don't be afraid of change.

We have experienced it, and we all will live through it.

We will all be fine.

And every change is a new opportunity, and take those opportunities.

COL. NICK HAGUE: I will throw one last thing there.

When you -- when we float over the window -- and we spend a lot of time in the window looking down at the Earth -- for me, the Earth looks -- starts to look pretty small when you look at the backdrop of the rest of the universe behind it.

And we're all on it together.

And so, just like the human spaceflight program relies on everybody working together across the globe to make this magic happen up here, we rely on each other on the ground every day.

Everyone out there depends on other people.

We're all on Earth together.

AMNA NAWAZ: Colonel Nick Hague, Commander Suni Williams, and Captain Butch Wilmore, thank you so very much for taking the time to speak with us, for the work that you do.

We're very, very grateful.

Please travel safe.

CMDR.

SUNITA WILLIAMS: Thank you very much.

See you back on Earth.

AMNA NAWAZ: An absolute treat and such an honor to speak with those astronauts.

GEOFF BENNETT: That was terrific.

AMNA NAWAZ: Thank you again.