Starliner returns to Earth without Sunita Williams
Indian-origin astronaut sunita williams and astronaut Butch Wilmore will spend a week aboard the international Space Station (ISS) on Starliner spacecraft in june to study the spacecraft's activity and return to Earth a week later, nasa had been reported.
Sunita Williams had spent 322 days in space in 2006 and 2012
Sunita Williams had spent 322 days in space in 2006 and 2012
As the Starliner spacecraft carrying sunita williams and Butch Wilmore approached the international Space Station, nasa and Boeing detected a problem with helium leaks on the Starliner and the spacecraft's reaction control thrusts. Their return to Earth was delayed by weeks to months, despite the completion of the propulsion failure of the Boeing spacecraft. "Both will return to Earth in february next year. Starliner will be sent back to Earth empty," nasa said on Saturday.
Sunita Williams has 10 years of work behind the spacecraft Starliner. The spacecraft was designed by Boeing for NASA. It is estimated to be worth about $4.2 billion. "The decision to put the two astronauts on the space station and return them without deploying Starliner is the result of a commitment to safety," nasa Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Our core value is security."
Sunita Williams-Butch Wilmore
In this situation, world billionaire Elon Musk's "SpaceX” has entered the fray. After Starliner was phased out of the ISS without a mission in early September, nasa hopes that sunita williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew 'dragon’ spacecraft in february next year, under the new mission.