Skip to main content

Stranded NASA astronauts to return to earth tomorrow

By
Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams (right) and Butch Wilmore
United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) astronauts stuck for more than nine months on the International Space Station will be returned to Earth on Tuesday evening.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are to be transported home with another American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, which arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday.

The stranded duo have been on the ISS since June after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they were testing on its maiden crewed voyage suffered propulsion issues and was deemed unfit to fly them back to Earth.

Nasa said in a statement on Sunday evening that it had moved forward the astronauts' anticipated ocean splashdown off the Florida coast to approximately 5:57pm Tuesday. It was initially slated for no sooner than Wednesday.

"The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favourable weather conditions expected for later in the week," the space agency said.

Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also return on the Dragon capsule, with the journey to be broadcast live from Monday evening when hatch closure preparations begin.

For Wilmore and Williams, it will mark the end of an ordeal that has seen them stuck for nine months after what was meant to have been a days-long roundtrip.

Their prolonged stay was significantly longer than the standard ISS rotation for astronauts of roughly six months.

But it is much shorter than the US space record of 371 days set by Nasa astronaut Frank Rubio aboard the ISS in 2023, or the world record held by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 continuous days aboard the Mir space station.

Still, the unexpected nature of their prolonged stay away from their families — they had to receive additional clothing and personal care items because they hadn't packed enough — has garnered interest and sympathy.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Army chief assures business community of ‘complete support’ for economic uplift

By Admin
Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday assured the business community of the army’s “complete support” for the economic uplift of the country. He made this assurance during a meeting with businessmen who called on him at the General Headquarters today, according to a statement by the military’s media affairs wing. A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and the army chief discussed the “evolving regional economic environment” as well as the FPCCI’s role in the development of commercial and industrial hubs in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. During the meeting, Gen Bajwa appreciated the role of the business community in the economic uplift of the country and affirmed all-out support of the army in this regard. The delegation, meanwhile, acknowledged the Pakistan Army’s role and sacrifices in the provision of a "secure enabling environment" for economic prosperity in the country, acco...
Post a Comment
Read more

3rd U-19 Women T20: South Africa beat Pakistan by 52 runs

By
In the third T20 of the five-match series in Karachi, South Africa Under-19 women's team defeated Pakistan Under-19 women's team by 52 runs tonight. Batting first, South Africa Under-19 women's team scored 158 runs for the loss of six wickets in allotted 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan Under-19 women's team were all out for 106 runs in 18 overs. South Africa lead the series 2-1.
Post a Comment
Read more

Military court case: SC rejects govt plea for constitution of full court bench

By
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected a government plea to constitute a full court bench to decide the issue of civilian trials in military courts. The government had urged the court to set up a full court on the question. The was heard by a six-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, which reserved its judgment on Tuesday. The bench ruled that judges were not available for the constitution of full court bench due to summer vacations. The bench includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court remarked during the hearing yesterday (on Tuesday) that there should be an independent body to review whether the arrests were made on valid grounds or not. The attorney general of Pakistan submitted the details of 102 people who face military trials to the court. Justice Mazahir Naqvi said in his remarks why other accused in the same case ...
Post a Comment
Read more