Lex Valluzzi, Arts Editor
This past summer, NASA test pilots Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore were sent up to space in the Boeing Starliner, a spacecraft designed to transport crew to and from the International Space Station. Williams and Wilmore were only supposed to be sent up for eight days, however, things took a turn when the Starliner suffered some malfunctions. It made the return trip to Earth without anyone aboard. What was originally meant to be an eight-day journey, has suddenly shifted into an eight month long stay at the ISS.
NASA reports that the spacecraft’s propulsion system had a helium leak and five thruster failures; which made them question how safe it is for the crew to make a return flight on the Starliner. Now, NASA has made the decision to have the crew make the return flight on a SpaceX flight in early 2025. The question on everyone’s mind is how are the two pilots doing in space?
There have been concerns from the public about oxygen, supplies, food and water at the ISS. NASA has confirmed that all those at the space station have enough reserve supplies to keep them going. Williams and Wilmore are two of twelve astronauts at the station, the others are there for various other missions. Supplies are regularly launched up to the station, and the
astronauts can even request certain items such as food or clothing. The last supply shipment launched early last month. The supply ships are then filled with the garbage the crew has accumulated and sent back to earth.
The astronauts have done one news conference from space this past July where the pair confirmed that they have been keeping busy using the ISS facilities. The ISS has a nice view of our planet they enjoy as well as a gym with various exercise equipment. The astronauts have also been assisting with repairs and regular maintenance at the station.
As for their feelings on their extended stay, both Williams and Wilmore have stated that they were able to make the transition into day-to-day life in space easy because both of them have done extended missions within the last two decades which required an expectation of a long stay.
Williams and Wilmore have opened up on what they will miss most about Earth. Williams says she has been worried about “losing precious face-to-face time with her mother” and Wilmore “will miss most of his youngest daughter’s senior year of High School.”
Other concerns have been whether the astronauts will be missing out on voting in this year’s presidential election. Not to worry, Williams and Wilmore have requested an absentee ballot that will be shipped to the ISS. The ballots are password protected PDFs that NASA has been using to have crew members vote in space for the last twenty-seven years.
The entire journey is definitely more than what the astronauts expected, but the pair have confirmed that they are confident that NASA will bring them home safely as soon as possible.
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