S Somanath, the chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has said that the situation concerning NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who has been stranded in space for over 60 days, would serve as a learning experience for future missions, including India’s Gaganyaan.
“NASA is currently facing challenges undocking Boeing’s Starliner from the International Space Station (ISS), which poses similar risks for Gaganyaan, ISRO’s upcoming crewed space mission,” he told Hindustan Times.
“Understanding the challenges of such missions is crucial for Gaganyaan,” Somanath stated. He noted that in the event of an undocking failure, astronauts could be required to return immediately, underscoring the need for ISRO to account for possible technical issues in their mission designs.
While speaking about the NASA mission, where Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore await their safe return, he stated: “The term ‘stuck in space’ is a media phrase. For us, it’s about assessing the situation to determine when it is safe to come back.”
With Gaganyaan’s first test flight planned for December 2024, Somanath’s insights aim to enhance preparedness for unforeseen challenges in human space travel.
According to Somanath, Williams has “extended her stay” on the ISS. With her extensive experience, having spent months aboard previously, the ISRO chief believes Williams is not “stuck” but rather in a prolonged situation that poses challenges for NASA.
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NASA has been working diligently to safely bring the astronauts back and is now considering assistance from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. But a new complication has arisen: the Boeing spacesuits are incompatible with SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, leading to potential additional risks.
An official NASA statement confirmed the issue, saying: “From a suits standpoint, they are really not interchangeable. You can’t use a Boeing suit in a SpaceX vehicle or a SpaceX suit in a Boeing vehicle.” If the Starliner manages to undock and only the Dragon spacecraft is available, the astronauts may have to return without their suits.
