by What Happened To Sunita Williams In Space Let’s understand this situation in this article.
5th June, 2024, at 10:52 AM, a Starliner spacecraft was launched in America. It was carrying two experienced astronauts from NASA. Commander Barry E. Wilmore and Pilot Sunita Williams were going on a small trip to the International Space Station. The spacecraft they were travelling in, Starliner is a bit special. It was built by a private company, Boeing. The same company that makes aeroplanes and recently, many of those aeroplanes crashed.
Boeing’s Final Test for Starliner
The Starliner spacecraft is still in the development stage. The particular mission was the last step in testing the capabilities of the Boeing Starliner. That’s why this mission was literally named the Boeing Crew Flight Test. The next day, after 27 hours, at 1:34 PM, this spacecraft begins docking at the International Space Station. It was a successful docking.
After some time, both astronauts happily entered the space station. Look at this video. Pilot Sunita Williams was so excited while entering.
This successful docking meant that Boeing became the world’s second private company to make and fly a human orbital spacecraft. Only SpaceX had done this before this. To date, only 3 countries have been able to do this. Russia, the USA, and China.
A Sudden Twist: Astronauts Stuck in Space
However, the celebration of this good news could not last long. This Starliner mission was supposed to last only 8 days. These astronauts had to return to Earth after 8 days. But today, even after 3 months, both these astronauts are stuck in space. There are many problems with this spacecraft because of which it cannot be used again. According to NASA, these astronauts will remain there for 8 months. How did this failure happen? How much can we blame Boeing? Let’s understand this situation in this article.
Astronauts Safe on the ISS
Before starting this article, it is important to clarify one thing here though both of these astronauts are stuck in space they are not in any kind of danger. The International Space Station is more than 350 feet long end to end. It can accommodate many people. The living and working space on the ISS is bigger than a 6-bedroom house. There’s space for 6 people to sleep on the ISS. There’s enough food, water, clothes, and an oxygen supply system. There are two bathrooms, a gym, and a 369° view by window. Although it is not a luxury hotel, it is a good place to stay comfortably and survive.
The ISS has its own oxygen-generating system which generates oxygen through the electrolysis of water. It also recycles oxygen. When we exhale, we release a high quantity of carbon dioxide, as well as oxygen to some extent. So, being able to extract that oxygen recovering it and using it again, it can do that. Similarly, there is an excellent recycling system for water too. Urine is recycled into drinking water. Apart from this, the water recycling system can also capture all traces of moisture that is released as breath or sweat. In terms of food, the ISS carries food reserve for 6 months. And in every 5-6 months, the crew members on the ISS keep rotating.
Life on the ISS: Expedition 71
Right now, the crew members of Expedition 71 are on the ISS. In the video you saw earlier in which Sunita Williams was excitedly entering the ISS, in that video, you can see other astronauts who are a part of Expedition 71 and were already living in the ISS.
These 4 astronauts are from NASA, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy C. Dyson. And 3 astronauts from the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub, and Alexander Grebenkin. Typically, there are 6-7 people on these expeditions, and the number, Expedition 71, indicates that this is the 71st team of crew members that have gone to the ISS on rotation. These expeditions have been going on for 24 years.
In the year 2000, when the International Space Station was first launched. Since then, the ISS hasn’t been left empty for extended periods of time. Someone or the other has lived in it. The Expedition 71 will end on 24th September 2024. And these astronauts present in the ISS, will return to Earth. And they will be replaced by the crew members of Expedition 72. And they can bring more food for these two astronauts.
What Happens Next?
For now, NASA has said that Barry and Sunita, these two astronauts, are now parts of expeditions 71 and 72, and they are now conducting research and experiments with the other astronauts.
It’s not like these two astronauts are stuck in space and are getting bored with nothing else to do. Expedition 71 is currently researching space botany. How flowers can be grown in space. On space-caused fluid shifts. Algae-based life support systems, as well as neuro-degenerative diseases and therapies, are being researched at the ISS.
About Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams: Experienced Astronauts
Both Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams are highly experienced astronauts. Barry is 61 years old he had already spent 178 days in space before this mission.
Sunita Williams is an Indian-origin astronaut like Kalpana Chawla although she was born in America. She is 58 years old and before this mission, she has been in space for 322 days. Before this, she was a part of the Expeditions 14, 15, 32, and 33. She was also the commander of Expedition 33, so you can see how experienced she is.
So, overall, these two astronauts should not have any problem, because they’ll have food, water, and oxygen. Clothes were a little problematic because they were carrying clothes for only 8 days; they weren’t carrying many things. But to solve this, NASA sent a shipment of their personal belongings on the 6th of August. So, this was about the astronauts.
Problems with Boeing’s Starliner
But now, let’s talk about the problematic part. This Starliner spacecraft. Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is an orbital spacecraft. Its name is Cruise Space Transportation-100 Starliner. Also known as CST-100 Spaceliner. After SpaceX, Boeing is the only private company that has been able to launch an orbital spacecraft to the ISS.
Now, what does an orbital spacecraft mean? An orbital spacecraft is a spacecraft that is launched at such high velocities that it can reach Earth’s orbit and then orbit around the Earth. It requires a speed of more than 28,000 km per hour.
On the other hand, suborbital spacecrafts reach the edge of space but they cannot reach high enough to orbit Earth. They reach the orbit for a while, experience a little weightlessness and then they come back down. The typical velocity of a suborbital spacecraft is less than 7,000 km per hour. Clearly, building an orbital spacecraft is much more difficult than building a sub-orbital spacecraft. Especially an orbital spacecraft that can facilitate human travel.
Apart from the private companies SpaceX and Boeing, only 3 countries have been able to make a human orbital spacecraft. China, Russia, and the USA.
India’s Orbital Ambitions: Gaganyaan
And India is trying. Our Gaganyaan mission will aim at this. Sending humans to space in an orbital spacecraft. The first orbital test flight will be in December this year. Although, it will be an uncrewed flight. That is, there won’t be humans in it. For the first test, they will seat a humanoid, named Vyomitra. Basically, they will test the spacecraft using this doll. Because if we start by sending humans and if a problem arises, it can be devastating.
