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Sunita Williams' return from space delayed; latest update here
India Today
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3/13/2025
SpaceX delayed the expected launch of a replacement crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station which further delayed the homecoming of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stuck in space for nine months.
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00:00
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for almost
00:06
nine months now.
00:07
It was supposed to be a mission of nine days.
00:11
SpaceX postponed the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from Florida due to a hydraulic system
00:15
issue with the ground support.
00:17
That means the Crew 10 mission to bring back the Crew 9 mission astronauts is going to
00:21
be delayed.
00:22
But hope is not lost.
00:23
NASA is aiming for the launch no earlier than 5 a.m., we are told, tomorrow morning.
00:30
So there is still hope.
00:31
They are still looking at it.
00:32
Otherwise, it's going to be Monday.
00:34
Basically, they have to leave the International Space Station to return to Earth.
00:38
And there are many challenges, technical, gravity-related, health-related and more.
00:44
So these are the details that are coming in right now.
00:46
Visuals on your screen.
00:47
Now, remember, she's been looking resilient.
00:49
Sunita Williams, Indian-origin astronaut, and Butch Wilmore have been putting out videos
00:53
to say they are celebrating festivals, they are in good health.
00:57
But in zero gravity, nine months is a challenge.
01:01
Let's go across now to try and understand what exactly happened.
01:05
Joining me, Sibu Tripathi, he's India Today's senior assistant editor of science and has
01:09
been tracking this issue since the day the mission was launched.
01:12
Sibu, good morning.
01:13
Now, it was always supposed to be an experiment mission.
01:17
The astronauts realized the challenges.
01:19
But tell me now, one, how and why has the delay happened at this time?
01:24
Good morning, Pooja.
01:26
First of all, the launch was supposed to happen this morning around 5.18 a.m.
01:32
This was a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that was taking crew time.
01:35
So four astronauts to replace the four astronauts currently in space.
01:39
The problem happened with one of the hydraulic systems on the retractable arm of the Dragon
01:44
spacecraft.
01:45
Therefore, the launch was cancelled at the last moment.
01:50
And a new date was issued.
01:51
Initially, the plan was that it will be launched tomorrow morning.
01:54
But what we are getting the latest update is due to high winds in the launch area, this
01:58
launch has been further delayed.
02:00
So now the launch is expected to happen on Saturday morning around 5.30 a.m.
02:07
So this has been the latest update around it.
02:09
The launch happens, this will take about 12, 12 and a half hours to basically land with
02:14
the space station and then the docking will happen.
02:16
So it's a long process.
02:17
It has been further delayed.
02:18
What this means is, Sohita Williams' return will again be delayed.
02:22
And this will now happen in a week's time, so sometime around next week, Thursday or
02:25
Friday is when we are expecting her to come back.
02:27
So it's going to be perhaps a daily assessment that will be done of the spacecraft.
02:32
Sehboor, for those wondering, how are nine months in space in zero gravity?
02:38
Of course, these are experienced scientists and astronauts.
02:40
They know fairly well what they have been in.
02:43
But tell us more, what kind of challenges are they facing right now, possibly?
02:48
And on their return to Earth, when there will be gravity, that will be another level of
02:51
challenge they'll have to adjust to.
02:53
Definitely.
02:54
When the Starliner that took astronauts Sohita Williams and Wilmot to space, we need to know
03:01
that this was a demo mission.
03:03
The idea was that they wanted to certify Starliner spacecraft that it is fit to carry humans
03:07
and then safely bring them back.
03:09
There were a lot of uncertainties and Sohita Williams and Wilmot has repeatedly said that
03:14
space travel is filled with uncertainties.
03:16
Therefore, when the problems arise, they decided that the mission will be extended.
03:21
Now, this nine day mission has now turned into over an eight month mission.
03:25
And with this, a lot of complications come in.
03:27
First of all, you have to make a major readjustment psychologically that, OK, now we have to stay
03:31
in space for at least the next seven to eight months, which takes a huge toll on the psyche
03:37
of the person.
03:38
But then we all know that most of the astronauts are veteran fighter pilots, helicopter pilots
03:43
and veteran astronauts as well.
03:45
So they've been in the space before and they know the rigors of going into space.
03:48
When it comes to physical and health assessment of the two astronauts, then definitely it
03:54
takes a lot of toll physically on the astronauts because zero gravity is where you do not experience
03:59
any weight, you float, you are weightless in the space station.
04:04
So all this affects is mostly that your bone density goes down, your bones are affected.
04:08
Secondly, your cardiovascular system, they take a toll.
04:12
So all this has been taken into consideration.
04:15
A healthy diet is prescribed by NASA.
04:18
Apart from that, a lot of exercises are done in NASA.
04:22
So NASA has developed special equipment for astronauts to live and work in space station.
04:26
They continuously work out on the space station on a daily basis.
04:32
Therefore, it's a long process and once they come back, that's also a huge process.
04:37
So what we know is that once the astronauts come back to earth, they take at least six
04:41
to seven months for the body to fully readjust to the gravity on the planet.
04:47
It's incredible what you're telling us because as Sebu is explaining what the body goes through
04:53
in space and then when there will be gravity.
04:55
Remember, physical fitness aside, and I'm sure they are fit, she's almost 60 years of
04:59
age, but it also needs psychological stamina to keep your spirit and hope high despite
05:05
the uncertainty of the return.
05:07
It's been nine months already, but we hope they'll be entering into earth's surface again
05:11
and will be reunited with their family.
05:13
Thank you very much for now, Sebu Tripathi, for all the latest on that.
05:17
I want to bring to the viewer basically what exactly is this rescue mission, so to say,
05:22
about what does this mean and why are we facing delays and postponements on this.
05:27
Now, remember, this space mission is where the SpaceX spacecraft, Dragon Space, will
05:32
bring back the astronauts.
05:33
So they have taken it upon themselves.
05:35
Trump, when in this administration, said they cannot be abandoned and these astronauts will
05:40
be brought back soon.
05:42
The spacecraft will carry four experienced NASA astronauts as part of the Crew 10 mission.
05:47
So the mission that will go to the International Space Station is the Crew 10 mission and that
05:51
needs to replace the Crew 9 mission presently, which is at the ISS.
05:56
So they will replace these members, which means Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore will
06:00
have to be brought back in the spacecraft that comes back now.
06:03
But what does that really mean?
06:04
Remember, when you head into space, there are challenges of not just heading into and
06:09
toward the ISS, but to return to Earth's atmosphere.
06:13
And that's where there can be especially some technical challenges that you have to be very
06:17
sure of having cleared.
06:19
Post launch, Falcon 9 will be deployed and will deploy the Dragon capsule toward the
06:24
ISS.
06:25
So basically, they are in the International Space Station are comfortable for now, but
06:29
there is also a time bound limit that they are looking at.
06:32
Upon docking, the handover process will begin with Sunita Williams.
06:37
And I keep saying Sunita Williams first because she in many ways is the commander of the mission.
06:41
She's the leader.
06:42
She gets to decide what needs to be done with other members of the crew as well.
06:46
So that is what is going to happen.
06:48
Looking with a strong spirit right now, but definitely it gets challenging over the next
06:53
few days.
06:54
So this is what is happening.
06:55
And we hope that they'll be entering into Earth again.
06:59
Remember, NASA is being very cautious right now amid all of this because the Crew 9 will
07:05
begin their journey to Earth post the undocking.
07:08
And it's a matter of about 12 to 24 hours when this mission is going to go on.
07:13
Remember, we know about incidents like 2003 when Kalpana Chawla was returning and the
07:21
spacecraft blew into pieces.
07:23
A similar incident in 1986.
07:25
And therefore, the NASA astronauts want to ensure that this return will happen soon and
07:30
should be safe and smooth.
07:32
What are the health concerns?
07:33
What are the challenges when you're in space in microgravity?
07:36
All that you have to tolerate and bear to return safely to Earth.
07:40
Here's more on that.
07:53
A 10-day space odyssey that ended up lasting almost 10 months.
07:59
But it will not be a normal homecoming.
08:02
Williams and Wilmore will face difficulties to adapt to Earth's gravity.
08:08
The two may experience baby feet after extended space travel, which means they will lose the
08:14
thick part of their skin as weightlessness causes food calluses to diminish.
08:19
They may experience dizziness, vertigo and difficulty walking for the first few days.
08:25
Even though astronauts exercise in space, muscles, especially in the legs and back,
08:30
weaken due to reduced use.
08:32
Prolonged weightlessness leads to bone density loss, increasing the risk of fractures.
08:38
In space, fluids shift upwards and the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood.
08:43
They will require a period of cardiovascular recovery.
08:47
They might experience spatial disorientation
08:49
as the brain readjusts to the constant downward pull of gravity.
08:55
To counter these effects, NASA and other space agencies have extensive rehabilitation programs
09:01
involving physical therapy, medical monitoring and gradual reconditioning.
09:06
After coming back from space, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will take weeks to acclimatize.
09:13
Bureau Report, India Today.
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