NASA Delays Return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from ISS

26th June 2024- NASA has postponed the return of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, carrying astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, from the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth. The delay is to allow more time to review technical issues. Initially scheduled for June 14 and then June 26, the spacecraft’s return has now been further postponed.

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, 58, made history on June 5 as one of the first crew members aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. This mission marks her third journey to space. Williams, who serves as the pilot for the crewed test flight, was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and has had a distinguished career in the United States Navy.

Williams, from Needham, Massachusetts, has a unique tradition of carrying the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘samosas’ during her space missions, a practice she shared during a 2013 press conference in New Delhi. The current delay means Williams and Wilmore will remain on the ISS until NASA resolves the technical issues, ensuring a safe return.