Astroants Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore came back home after an ISS trip that was supposed to take eight days but instead turned into a nine month stay. They flew to space in Boeing’s Starliner on June 5th but faced a lot of issues mid journey which prolonged their stay. Fortunately, The duo finally came back this morning via the SpaceX Dragon spaceship.
Bringing It All Back Home
Immediately after the capsule deployed its parachute, it splashed into the ocean near the southeastern coast of Florida. NASA’s recovery team met the astronauts as they exited the capsule, and gave them support. Williams was recorded grinning and waving while walking down the stairs as she gave a thumbs up.
The Final Stretch Back To earth
At 2:41 AM the spacecraft started its deorbit burn, which is the strategy to lose speed when coming back into Earth’s atmosphere, and then 44 minutes later the capsule landed safely in the ocean at 3:27 AM. Nick Hague from NASA and Aleksandr Gorbunov of Roscosmos joined Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on thier 17 hour journey home.
A Mission That Lasted Longer Than Anticipated
Williams and Wilmore, two former Navy fighter pilots, began what was to be an eight day test mission in the first manned flight of Boeing’s Starliner. However, problems with their propulsion system stranded them in orbit. The capsule was left in orbit uncrewed in September after it was determined it was not fit to be returned back to earth. NASA placed the astronauts into the Crew 9 Space X mission and a modified Dragon space craft was sent to retrieve the stranded astronauts in September. After numerous postponements, a relief crew finally docked at the ISS last Sunday allowing the astronauts to start the return journey home.
Post-Mission Challenges in Space
Staying in space for long periods presents a laundry list of health risks. Staying in microgravity for long periods of time can lead to bone and muscle loss, and vision changes. Another important factor is the radiation being exposed to, which is a major concern for most astronauts since there is no protection in space as there is on earth. Reports from NASA show that without any countermeasures being used, like resistance training or special exercises, astronauts in space can lose a percent of their bone mass every month.
Reactions on a Political Level on a Global Scale
The mission’s extended duration led to debates about the safety of space travel. Former President Donald Trump chastised the previous government for allegedly dealing with the problem by leaving the astronauts “stranded.” The White House, in retaliation, made it known that the administration is “all-in” with space exploration and the protection of the astronauts. Personally, Trump rejoiced when their return was successful. To which he declared, “promise kept.”
A Letter by PM Modi to Sunita Williams
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, also appreciated Williams’ return, stating that she did not fail in her assignment. He stated in his letter dated March 1 that 1.4 billion Indians take pride in her ventures. This letter, which was later on released by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, indeed put into light how she is inspiring aspiring astronauts and advocates of spaceflight geographically on a global front.
Space Missions in the Foreseeable Future
The accomplished deviations contended within the ambit of this mission portrays the scope of work that is needed for contigency planning in human spaceflight. Keeping in mind the intentions of NASA and other private space firms such as SpaceX and Boeing intending to explore outerspace in the further future, protection of the astronauts is a dubious issue. The remaining available information in respect to space travel and interplanetary navigation will need to be done remembering how to make space travel possible for a long duration of time.
The world waits with bated breath as exploration advances. The planet holds its breath, awaiting the unveiling of the next chapter in space exploration as spectators are intra-angled by space travellers’ shared experiences. The globe remains ardently attentive to the developments that follow the recovery of the astronauts while a new era dawns over our eyes.
As they undergo rehabilitation and narrate their stories, the possibilities that lie ahead remain endless and mysteriously interesting. Frank James Williams and Wilmore, having completed their historic mission, an elaborate plan of space travel that required them to tackle endurance, flexibility, and the ability of modern space travel, can finally recover and shift their focus.