A countdown has started towards the safe return of Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams to Earth. After nine months, Wilmore will also return to Earth with her. Early today (Indian time), the American spacecraft departed to bring them both back. In an earlier statement, the American space agency NASA said that both astronauts would leave the International Space Station before March 19. NASA-SpaceX Crew-10 took off on March 14 at 7:03 pm US time. After the successful launch, further hope blossomed for Sunita Williams and Wilmore’s return back to Earth.
Launch on Thursday was postponed due to technical fault
It was an unfortunate day as the Crew-10 launch was once again postponed just about an hour before launch on Thursday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after an apparent technical fault. It is also notable that astronaut Sunita Williams’s return from the International Space Station (ISS) was affected by this delay. Reports indicate that amid issues with the hydraulic system of the ground support clamp arm of the Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX, the launch was aborted.
Astronauts were sent on which mission
The NASA Boeing Crew Flight Test Mission departed on June 5, 2024, with a two-man crew of astronauts: Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore, who were sent on an eight-day trip. They were sent on the mission aboard the Starliner spacecraft. This is the first flight of the Starliner spacecraft with astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Sunita and Barry are on a mission that is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA has partnered with the US private sector for sending safe, reliable, and low-cost human missions from the United States to the International Space Station. This test mission was launched for the same purpose.
