NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to address public from space after extended ISS stay
Washington: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are set to make their first public appearance since the announcement of their extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Earth-to-space call is scheduled for 11:45 PM IST tonight, where the duo will share updates on their mission.
Williams and Wilmore were launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024, for what was originally an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the Starliner prompted NASA to bring the spacecraft back to Earth without its crew, resulting in an unexpected extension of the astronauts’ stay on the ISS until February 2025.
During the live conference, the astronauts are expected to discuss their ongoing scientific research, life aboard the space station, and their experiences throughout this extended mission. The call presents a rare opportunity for the public to hear firsthand about their work and well-being during their prolonged time in space.
In a notable development, the ISS crew recently expanded with the arrival of NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Wagner. The new team members will work alongside Williams and Wilmore until spring 2025, contributing to the station’s scientific endeavors.
Health monitoring remains a critical activity for the crew. Williams and Wilmore recently underwent thorough eye examinations using standard medical imaging technology, with support from ground teams monitoring the procedures in real-time. In addition to health checks, the astronauts have been actively engaged in various scientific tasks onboard the orbiting laboratory.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
