Sunita-Williams: Boeing’s Starliner has returned to Earth. Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams is still in space with her co-passenger Butch Wilmore. Sunita Williams also gave a message regarding the return of Starliner. She thanked the Starliner mission team. She looked very emotional on the return of Starliner. She said that we are looking at the flight control rosters. You guys are finally taking Calypso home. Sunita Williams told the mission control team on Earth that you have constantly supported us. Now the question arises whether Sunita Williams is really stuck in space. If this is so, then when will Sunita return to Earth?
Sunita Williams’ stay in space has become quite long. Her eight-day mission will turn into more than eight months. During this time, experienced astronauts, retired Navy Captain Wilmore and Williams will keep themselves busy in space. They are helping in repair and maintenance work and experiments. They are now working with seven other passengers present at the space station. The time of return of both of them has also been decided. A new spacecraft will go to pick them up. The SpaceX spacecraft will bring both the astronauts back next year, i.e. in February 2025.
Let us tell you that Williams and Wilmore were supposed to return to Earth in June, a week after the Starliner took off. But due to a problem in the thruster of the spacecraft and leaking of helium, both of them are stuck in space. Two pilots of the US space agency NASA will now remain on the space station till next year. NASA had said that bringing both the astronauts back from ‘Starliner’ is very risky. Therefore, this fully automated spacecraft is returning to Earth with an empty seat, some old equipment present on the station and a spacesuit.
Starliner was launched on June 5 with two crew members. But during the flight to the ISS, five of its 28 thrusters failed at different times. Five helium leaks were also noticed. NASA officials acknowledged that the spacecraft’s return flight was originally scheduled for June 14. But since then it was repeatedly delayed due to technical problems. Despite all efforts by engineers on Earth to solve the problem, success was not achieved. After this the spacecraft was brought back.