New Delhi: Indian-origin NASA astronaut, Sunita Williams, was supposed to spend eight days at the International Space Station (ISS), but her mission could now extend to eight months.
Recently, Nasa officials announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore might return to Earth on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025 if Boeing’s Starliner—the spacecraft that delivered the duo to ISS in June—was still unsafe. The spacecraft had encountered multiple technical issues in the propulsion system following a series of helium leak. But, what is Sunita doing in space? How are the astronauts surviving? Do they have food, water and air to breathe?
Where is Sunita Williams in the space?
She is in the International Space Station along with other astronauts. It is an $150 billion flying laboratory above Earth. It is well-equipped with living facilities, sleeping quarters, and even a gym. It is an artificial environment away from the protection of earth and is always challenging. It is about 400km above the earth’s surface.
8,200 pounds of extra supplies sent to space station
Wilmore and Williams’ suitcases were removed from Starliner before liftoff to make room for equipment, urgently required for the space station’s urine-into-drinking-water recycling system. They had spare clothes at the space station. Earlier this week, a supply ship arrived at the space station with their clothes, extra food and science experiments for the entire nine-person crew.
Blueberries, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes & much more on space ship
The space ship carried hardware, supplies and fresh food items including coffee, chayote squash, radishes, apples, blueberries, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, and carrots. Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, which carried 8,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory, was successfully installed on the space station on August 6, according to NASA. The resupply mission was launched at 11:02 am on August 4 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Cygnus will remain at the space station until January when it departs the orbiting laboratory at which point it will dispose of several thousand pounds of debris through its re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will harmlessly burn up, stated NASA.
Here’s a look at how Sunita and her fellow astronauts are living in space
Williams, along with her 8 other astronaut colleagues at the space station, keeps herself occupied with household chores and science experiments every day. For instance, on August 1, NASA reported that both Wilmore and Williams—Commander and Pilot for Boeing’s Crew Flight Test— spent their day on a variety of household tasks.
Wilmore first organized food stowed in the Unity module— a cylindrical module that links orbiting laboratory’s Russian Orbital Segment and US Orbital Segment— and then installed a light meter on the Veggie botany research facility. Williams deep cleaned Unity temporarily uninstalling racks and hardware to access and wipe down hard to reach areas with disinfectant.
When they collected blood samples, did eye tests
On July 31, the astronauts spent the day collecting blood samples and conducting eye scans as part of their continuous effort to explore how living in space affects their bodies. NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Mike Barratt began the day collecting their blood and saliva samples to help scientists understand how microgravity affects cellular immune functions. NASA Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps gathered the samples from the duo, first stowing the saliva specimens in a science freezer, then spinning the blood samples in a centrifuge, before inserting the sample tubes inside the Kubik research incubator for later observations. A series of eye checks was conducted by astronauts Wilmore, Williams and cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Alexander Grebenkin, along with others. The eye scans were conducted using the Ultrasound 2 device to image the cornea, lens, and optic nerve. Doctors on Earth monitored the scans in real-time to ensure that the crew captured the right imagery.
Organized Olympics in space
Astronauts on the ISS took time out from their working day and took part in their own Olympic Games recently after passing more than 400km above Earth. NASA released a video of their fun-filled activities and stunts, which began with the passing of mock Olympic torch in space.
The #Paris2024 Olympics are out of this world (literally) 🚀🌎
All the way up in the International Space Station, NASA’s astronauts are also floating through the action. 💥
🎥: @nasa pic.twitter.com/M3inDuW3nZ
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 30, 2024
Exposure to harmful radiation, no-gravity concerns
Living in the space is not easy and comes with its own hazards. The astronauts are exposed to harmful solar radiations. They are no longer protected by Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field from harmful solar radiation. According to reports, near the eastern coast of South America, the ISS passes through a point where the radiation levels are over 30 times higher than those on Earth. In one week on the ISS, astronauts experience the same radiation levels as one year on the ground, the India Today reported. The second major issue in space is long-term exposure to zero gravity, which can lead to bone and muscle loss. There are also psychological concerns as the astronauts are away from their loved ones for so long.
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