Spacecraft: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her partner Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for the past few days. Both the astronauts were returning to Earth after spending a week on the International Space Station. During this time, their aircraft Boeing Starliner malfunctioned and they got stranded in space. It may take months for these two astronauts to return, as the US space agency NASA is considering extending the time of this mission.
Preparations to extend the deadline of Starliner mission
According to a CNN report, NASA official Steve Stich said on Friday (June 28) that the US space agency is considering extending the duration of the Starliner mission from 45 days to 90 days. He said that no specific date has been set yet for the return of the aircraft Boeing Starliner. NASA official Steve Stich said, “We are focusing on the time frame of a test taking place in New Mexico and then we will review its data. This is the biggest challenge, which will decide the date of landing.”
NASA is testing in New Mexico
According to the report, Boeing and NASA are conducting tests in New Mexico to understand why the Starliner failed during the first phase of its journey. Another official, Mark Nappi, said that engineers are still trying to find out the reasons behind the Starliner’s malfunctions. However, it is not yet clear whether NASA will extend the duration of this mission for a maximum of 90 days or not.
Steve Stich said that to decide how many days this mission can be extended, officials will have to keep in mind how much battery life is left on the Starliner. However, he said that the batteries are being recharged on the space station, but they should work the same way after 90 days as they will work in the first 45 days.
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