How Sunita Williams ended up stranded in space: The unexpected ordeal

When NASA launched Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, it was supposed to be a routine week long mission. But what started as a groundbreaking test flight quickly turned into an eight-month ordeal, with the astronauts unexpectedly stranded in space. Imagine spending nearly eight months in space when your original mission was planned to last only a week.

Published - September 15, 2024 10:00 am IST

(FILES) This undated handout picture from Nasa released on July 2, 2024 shows NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

(FILES) This undated handout picture from Nasa released on July 2, 2024 shows NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. | Photo Credit: HANDOUT

On June 5, 2024, seasoned astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The mission was initially intended to be a week long test flight to the International Space Station (ISS). As test pilots, Wilmore and Williams were tasked with overseeing the final critical phase of the Starliner’s journey, a pivotal moment for Boeing, which sought to demonstrate the spacecraft’s reliability after years of delays and setbacks.

The incident: Thrusters and leaks

The mission took an unexpected turn shortly after launch. A series of technical failures, including vexing thruster malfunctions and helium leaks, marred the mission. These issues prevented the Starliner from properly completing its objectives, leaving the astronauts in a holding pattern aboard the ISS while engineers on Earth conducted tests to diagnose and resolve the problems.

What went wrong

  • June 5, 2024: Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched from Cape Canaveral aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule for a weeklong test flight to the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Initial mission success: The capsule successfully docked at the ISS, and the astronauts began overseeing the planned tests of the Starliner’s systems.
  • First sign of trouble: Shortly after docking, multiple thrusters on the Starliner capsule began to malfunction, with five thrusters failing mid-flight.
  • Compounding issues: Engineers discovered helium leaks in the capsule’s propellant system, further complicating the mission and raising concerns about the spacecraft’s overall integrity.
  • NASA’s response: Despite ongoing tests and attempts to resolve the thruster and helium leak issues, the situation remained unresolved, prompting NASA to delay the astronauts’ return.

On August 24, 2024, NASA determined it was too risky to use the Starliner for the return trip. The astronauts would have to remain at the ISS until early 2025, when a safer return option aboard a SpaceX capsule could be arranged.

NASA recently made the decision to retrieve the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that landed in Mexico last week. Despite experiencing technical issues during its mission, the spacecraft successfully returned to Earth, making it a valuable asset for further analysis.

They recently addressed the Earth, attending a video press conference where Williams expressed how this is her happy space.

Stranded in space

The astronauts, both retired Navy captains with extensive experience in space-flight, remained stoic in the face of this prolonged mission. Despite the challenges, they continued to contribute to ongoing work aboard the ISS, adapting to the extended mission with the resilience and professionalism expected of astronauts.

They will participate in the US elections from space
Did You Know? Astronauts can vote from space!
Since 1997, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been casting their votes in US elections. Using a special electronic voting system, ballots are sent to and from the ISS, allowing astronauts to exercise their civic rights from millions of miles away.
The process is remarkably straightforward. Ballots are transmitted to the ISS, where astronauts can fill them out at their convenience. Once completed, the ballots are then electronically sent back to Earth. Upon arrival, they are processed by the designated county clerk, ensuring that every astronaut’s vote is counted.

NASA’s strategy: The role of SpaceX

  • Starliner deemed unsafe: Due to the technical issues, NASA decided that Starliner was too unsafe for a human return trip.
  • Turning to SpaceX: NASA chose to rely on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which had a proven safety record.
  • Mission adjustments: The SpaceX capsule already docked at the ISS was reserved for another crew, so NASA planned to modify the crew size for SpaceX’s next mission in September 2024 to bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth in February 2025.

The future of Starliner

While the decision to bring the astronauts home on a different spacecraft was a setback for Boeing, NASA has not given up on the Starliner program. Boeing’s contract with NASA, worth over $4 billion, was part of the agency’s broader strategy to have two competing U.S. companies capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS. Despite the ongoing challenges, NASA remains hopeful that Boeing can resolve Starliner’s issues and proceed with another crewed flight in the near future.

The incident underscores the complexities and risks of space exploration, where even the most meticulously planned missions can be derailed by unforeseen technical challenges. As Wilmore and Williams await their return, the incident serves as a reminder of the resilience required of astronauts and the ever-present need for innovation and problem-solving in the quest to explore space.

Fun facts
Dual heritage
Sunita Williams is of Indian and Slovenian descent, making her a proud representative of both cultures.
Record-breaking spacewalks
She holds the record for the longest single spacewalk by a female astronaut, clocking in at over 7 hours.
Boston marathon in space
Williams became the first person to run the Boston Marathon while in orbit, using the International Space Station’s treadmill.
Space-bound samosas
To celebrate her heritage, Williams brought samosas, a popular Indian snack, into space.
Navy veteran
Before joining NASA, Williams served in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot and test pilot.
0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.