Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams has now spent fifty days in a state of uncertainty regarding her return to Earth. Despite the situation, the US space agency assures that she and the eight other astronauts aboard the International Space Station are safe and in 'good spirits.'
An Indian space expert humorously compared her predicament to being in a state of 'Trishanku'—a scenario where one finds themselves willingly caught between a rock and a hard place.
On Friday, NASA announced that they are making progress in identifying the root cause of the malfunctioning systems in the Boeing Starliner, which experienced failed thrusters and a series of helium leaks during its maiden test flight. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the timeline for the return of Astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore, as well as whether they will return on the same Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
Space technologists have about 40 days left
Boeing has stated that the Starliner can remain docked with the space station for a maximum of ninety days, after which the onboard batteries may run low. This gives US space technologists approximately forty days to decide whether Astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth on the compromised Boeing Starliner or utilize SpaceX's Crew Dragon or the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Both of these alternative vehicles are already docked at the space station, ensuring that neither Sunita Williams nor the other eight astronauts are truly stranded in space.
NASA Officials Provide Update on Astronauts' Well-Being and Return Plans
NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich reported that the crew is in good spirits and making the most of their time aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 71, especially since both Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have experience with long-duration missions. He mentioned that while 'contingency plans' are in place, the current focus remains on returning both astronauts to Earth on the Boeing Starliner.
Mark Nappi, Starliner program manager and vice president of Boeing, expressed optimism about the situation, stating, "I'm very confident we have a good vehicle [in Boeing Starliner] to bring the crew back with."
While some glitches were anticipated during this maiden test flight, the extension of a ten-day mission to over five times its expected duration, with no end date in sight, is deeply concerning for the global space community.