Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are just 8 days away from completing 8 months stranded in space. The astronauts arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) under the administration of NASA on June 5, 2024. However, due to issues with the spacecraft they traveled in, they have not been able to return to Earth.
The mission was planned to last a little over a week. The goal was to conduct a test of the Starliner capsule, developed by Boeing Space. However, certain issues arose during the docking that led the scientists to decide to return the unmanned spacecraft, thus avoiding any risks to the safety of the astronauts.
This resulted in both Sunita and Butch having to wait for their turn in the tight schedule of space missions, both from NASA and SpaceX, which left them stranded for over 8 months before it was their time to return. Only a week had passed and they missed celebrating Christmas and New Year with their loved ones.
However, this period has allowed them to accumulate experience on the International Space Station, participating in spacewalks and collaborating on the scientific projects being carried out in the large orbiting laboratory.
Not everything is rosy.
The media outlet Indian Today reported on an interview in which Sunita Williams, who has Indian heritage, spoke with students at her former high school, Needham High. During her conversation with young people aspiring to be astronauts, the scientist shared that, at times, the challenges of space are so complex that, after spending eight months in a microgravity environment, she finds it difficult to remember how to walk.
"For a while I have been up here and I have been trying to remember what it is like to walk. I have not taken a step. I have not sat down. I have not laid down. It is not necessary. You can simply close your eyes and let yourself float in the place where you are right now," Suni commented, as reported by the same media outlet.
Suni Williams commented on the unexpected modifications she had to face, admitting that it was difficult for her to adjust. “It was a bit shocking, actually. We knew it would probably be a month or so, honestly. But the extended stay was a bit different,” she said.