2024-07-02 12:49:26
Washington: Astronaut Sunita Williams, who went to the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, is seen stranded in area. She is dealing with an prolonged mission length. Initially, the mission was presupposed to final just a few days. However because of technical challenges, the mission time has been prolonged and NASA is struggling to return. The Starliner spacecraft, launched on June 5, suffered a number of helium leaks and thruster failures quickly after reaching the ISS. The spacecraft’s service module, which is vital for energy throughout flight, confronted issues, together with a helium leak, which disabled 5 thrusters. In response to CNN report, 4 thrusters are working usually. NASA’s Industrial Crew Program Supervisor Steve Stich mentioned that NASA is contemplating extending the mission from 45 to 90 days to completely resolve the issue. Boeing and NASA plan to conduct floor exams in New Mexico to raised perceive the thruster failure. “If the New Mexico check solutions all our questions, we are able to undock and are available dwelling,” mentioned Boeing vp and program supervisor Mark Nappe. “If it provides us an 80 % reply, and we are able to get a 100% reply if we run one other docked scorching fireplace check on Starliner in orbit, we wish Starliner to be there so we are able to get that data,” he added.
What’s Sunita doing within the area station?
Whereas ready for directions from NASA, Williams and his colleague Butch Wilmore are conducting routine duties and scientific experiments on the area station. The astronauts are protected and have entry to meals, assets and communications contained in the ISS. The station is designed to accommodate long-term astronaut stays and provides are continuously delivered from Earth. The crew members on the ISS are actively engaged in a wide range of duties. They’ve been concerned in packing cargo, cleansing the station and learning future piloting methods. NASA flight engineer Matthew Dominick and different crew members are engaged in loading trash and understanding the consequences of microgravity on the eyes. Williams and Wilmore are changing cameras and sensors within the Habitat Progress Chamber whereas taking part in area vegetation experiments.
Is Sunita Williams caught in area?
The 2 astronauts had been earlier scheduled to return on June 13, however their return has been delayed twice now. It’s at the moment anticipated that they will return any time after July 2, pending the completion of floor exams and security assessments. NASA has mentioned that the astronauts aren’t stranded. It additionally mentioned that Starliner can nonetheless separate from the station and fly away in emergency conditions. Other than this, NASA additionally has the choice of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Russian Soyuz to carry astronauts.