The failed mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has forced two NASA astronauts to stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) until February 2025. Their return, which was supposed to take place back in the summer, was postponed due to technical problems. Due to an unplanned postponement, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will miss the family holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.
The price paid by astronauts
Astronaut Frank Rubio had a similar experience when he was forced to stay in orbit for more than a year because of a Russian Soyuz radiator leak. His mission, planned for six months, lasted twice as long, and it was a serious challenge.
For astronauts, such challenges are part of the price they pay for the unique opportunity to work in space. As Rubio notes, he regrets most about missing important moments in his family’s life, particularly his son’s graduation and his daughter’s enrollment in college. Holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving just “disappeared from the calendar” for him.
“There’s a little bit of disappointment in knowing you miss those things as a father,” Rubio admitted in an interview with The Washington Post.
Modest celebration in orbit
Similar difficulties are now being experienced by astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. Their mission, which was supposed to last only 8 days, stretched for at least 8 months. A Starliner failure during the flight – a helium leak and engine malfunction – forced the team to return the spacecraft to Earth without a crew.
SpaceX’s Dragon Crew capsule will provide an alternative, but it won’t launch until a few months later. This means that the astronauts will have to spend the winter holidays on the ISS, enjoying “space” portions instead of a generous holiday meal.
Life in the close environment of orbit can be lonely and exhausting. Astronauts exercise for two hours every day to avoid muscle atrophy in microgravity. The monotony of work is added to the work by the same “walls of computers and cables”. The only consolation is the view of Earth from Cupola’s observation module, but even that is only available for a few minutes a day.
“The monotony is something that you fight. It is your job,” Rubio said.
Despite all the challenges, NASA astronauts continue to fulfill their mission. Their example is a testament to their resilience and dedication.
Earlier we reported on how astronaut Sunita Williams looked sick.
