NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has led the International Space Station (ISS) after failing to return to Earth due to technical problems. Last week, she was officially sworn in as commander of ISS Expedition 72, succeeding Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. This is the second time Williams has held a leadership position in space. Her mission, which was supposed to last eight days, has been extended by eight months due to technical problems with the spacecraft.
The leadership rotation came after Kononenko, along with Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, returned to Earth aboard the Soyuz MS-25, landing in Kazakhstan.
Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore were scheduled to return back in June on a Boeing Starliner capsule. However, due to problems with the spacecraft, NASA decided to return the Starliner to Earth without a crew. The astronauts will now remain on the ISS until February 2025, when a SpaceX Crew Dragon “rescue” spacecraft will take them away.
Sunita Williams demonstrated professionalism by accepting a new role in a challenging situation. She thanked her colleagues for their support and teamwork under unpredictable circumstances. Williams stressed that the expedition taught the team to be flexible and adaptive, even when plans changed.
Problems with the Starliner spacecraft, including software malfunctions, engine malfunctions and helium leaks, have disrupted NASA and Boeing’s crew rotations. This was a big failure for both organizations, forcing them to reconsider their plans. Williams and Wilmore’s return mission is now assigned to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which will bring them home in February 2025.
We previously reported the feelings of astronauts stranded in space.
According to space.com
