Starliner returns to Earth without Sunita Williams
Boeing’s ‘Starliner’ spacecraft returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday without astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. Due to a problem in the spacecraft, it had to return to Earth without astronauts. Two pilots of the US space agency NASA will now remain on the space station till next year. After a six-hour journey, the spacecraft landed in the desert of New Mexico. After the ‘Starliner’ left the space station, Sunita Williams said in a radio message, “It is going home.”
Starliner returns to Earth without Sunita Williams
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 spacecraft’s thruster and helium leak, both of them are stuck in space. NASA had said that it is very risky to bring both the astronauts back with the Starliner. Therefore, this fully automated spacecraft is returning to Earth with an empty seat, some old equipment present on the station and the blue clothing (spacesuit) worn in space. Now the SpaceX spacecraft will bring both the astronauts back in February next year, which will make their eight-day mission more than eight months.
Scientists keeping themselves busy in space
Veteran astronauts and retired Navy captains Wilmore and Williams are keeping themselves busy in space and helping with repair and maintenance work and experiments. They are now working with seven other astronauts on the space station. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s commercial crew program, said earlier this week that the space team has been so focused on the return of ‘Starliner’ that they have not had time to think about Boeing’s next project.
(Input-PTI)
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