Lady Scientist Trapped in Space, Unable to Return Back to Earth, Speaks, Lists 3 Things She Misses

• NASA astronaut Sunita 'Suni' Williams, stranded in space for months due to a thruster malfunction on the Boeing Starliner, shared her anticipation of reuniting with family, dogs, and jumping into the ocean upon her return to Earth
• The extended mission, originally planned for eight days, has allowed Williams to engage more with people on Earth, including schoolchildren
• Her candid reflections highlight the physical and psychological challenges of long-term space missions

Texas, USA – A mission that was supposed to be a straightforward eight-day round trip has turned into a months-long stay for NASA astronaut Sunita 'Suni' Williams and her colleague Barry 'Butch' Wilmore.

Launched on June 5, 2024, aboard NASA's Boeing Starliner Calypso, the mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was immediately made longer when the capsule's thrusters got a problem as it approached the ISS.

3 things she is looking forward to on Earth

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Despite the unexpected stay, Sunita said she has found joy in the prolonged mission, engaging with schoolchildren and sharing her experiences.

However, the 59-year-old Ohio native revealed that she eagerly anticipates reuniting with her family, spending time with her dogs, and "jumping in the ocean" which she said are the three things she looked to when she finally got back on earth again.

She added, "I think that will be really nice to just be back on Earth and feel Earth that way."

Thruster malfunction and extended stay

The thruster issue made it too dangerous for the Sunita to return to Earth as planned. Speaking from space, Williams described the awe-inspiring view from her orbital vantage point in an interview with the BBC.

"Up here, you know, it's just incredible. You come and look out the window, and you just go 'wow'. I've got to pinch myself to be able to have this view, to be able to share this view," she said.

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SpaceX launches mission to return astronauts

Legit.ng reported that a SpaceX rocket soared into the sky Saturday with two passengers on board, leaving two seats empty to return American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station, NASA said.

The Falcon 9 rocket took off at 1:17 pm (1717 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It used a new launch pad, the pad's first use for a crewed mission.

On board were NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.

Source: Legit.ng