Only 96 hours’ oxygen left: NASA’s Sunita Williams can end up stuck in space forever; Details here
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, scheduled to return from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Boeing's Starliner, are facing significant risks due to potential complications with the spacecraft's re-entry process. Concerns have been raised about the safety of their return journey, which was initially planned for a week after the launch on June 5, 2024. Initially scheduled to return in 8 days, it has been delayed by over 2 months now due to technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft.
Key issues involve the possibility of the spacecraft failing to properly re-enter Earth's atmosphere. If the re-entry angle is too steep, the Starliner could burn up due to a malfunction in its heat shield. On the other hand, if the spacecraft is unable to re-enter at all, the astronauts could be left orbiting the Earth indefinitely, with only 96 hours of oxygen supply remaining.
NASA is now grappling with the difficult decision of whether to proceed with the return using the potentially faulty Starliner or to rely on SpaceX's Crew Dragon for a rescue mission. If SpaceX is called upon, Boeing's inaugural human spaceflight would inadvertently turn into an unscheduled rescue operation, further complicating the situation.
Former U.S. military space systems commander Rudy Ridolfi has highlighted three critical risks associated with the Starliner’s re-entry: poor alignment of the spacecraft's service module, insufficient oxygen supply in case of being stranded, and the potential for vaporization during re-entry due to heat shield failure.
Adding to the urgency, reports indicate that astronaut Sunita Williams may be experiencing health issues, including vision problems, which could further complicate NASA’s decision-making process. As NASA assesses these risks, the situation underscores the high stakes involved in human spaceflight and the critical need for reliable spacecraft systems.
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TMC leader killed in Bengal's Birbhum
Kolkata (PTI): A local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader was murdered by unidentified assailants in West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said on Saturday.
Rajbehari Sardar (65), TMC's booth chief in Patisara gram panchayat, was stabbed and severely beaten up by around five-six people at a function in Nanoor area around 10 pm on Friday, a police officer said.
Sardar was taken to Mangalkot Hospital in neighbouring Purba Bardhaman district where he was declared dead by doctors, he said.
The deceased's son alleged that Sardar was killed by members of a rival faction of the party.
The local TMC leadership said Sardar was a committed party worker and was popular in the area, but claimed that there was no report of the involvement of anyone from the party in the murder.
"We demand a thorough and prompt investigation into the incident," a local TMC leader said.
