NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore set to return back to earth; details here
Washington DC: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were originally supposed to spend just 10 days at the International Space Station (ISS), are finally set to return to Earth after nearly 10 months in space, reported NDTV.
The two astronauts, who have been stranded at the ISS since June 2024, will be coming back aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, expected to land as early as March 16, according to NASA officials.
Williams and Wilmore launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, technical problems with the spacecraft’s thrusters caused difficulties during docking.
After months of investigation, NASA and Boeing decided that Starliner was not safe enough to bring them back. The spacecraft returned to Earth without the crew in September, leaving the astronauts waiting for an alternative ride home.
NASA later arranged for SpaceX to bring them back on the return trip of Crew-9. This mission was originally launched in September with only two members, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, leaving room for Williams and Wilmore.
Crew-9 was initially scheduled to return in February after completing its six-month mission, but the plan was delayed due to scheduling changes. Now, NASA has confirmed the launch of Crew-10, which will replace Crew-9 at the ISS.
Crew-10 is set to launch on March 12 from Kennedy Space Center, carrying astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov. Because of delays in building a new Crew Dragon spacecraft, they will be flying on the Endurance capsule instead.
If everything goes as planned, Crew-9 will leave the ISS on March 16, after a two-day transition period on March 14 and 15. However, if Crew-10’s launch is delayed, Crew-9’s return will also be pushed back. Backup launch dates for Crew-10 are available on March 13 and 14, which could shift Crew-9’s return to March 17 or 18.
NASA officials will continue to monitor the schedule and make adjustments as needed to ensure a safe return for Williams and Wilmore.
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UP: Fake IAS officer marries woman, flees with Rs 15 lakh dowry
Gorakhpur (UP) (PTI): A newly married man fled with the Rs 15 lakh given to him as dowry by the bride's family, and it came to light later that he was an alleged serial scammer, police said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Pritam Kumar Nishad from Etawah, allegedly posed as an IAS officer to deceive the woman into marrying him. He is currently absconding with his sister, and a case has been filed against him for cheating, dowry harassment, and forgery, officials said.
According to the police, the woman's family claimed that they spent nearly Rs 30 lakh for the wedding that was solemnised on March 11.
The match was arranged through a matrimonial group, where the accused introduced himself as an IAS officer, sharing purported interview clips, office visuals, and photographs with politicians to gain the family's trust.
Despite initially claiming he would marry without dowry, the accused allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh shortly before the engagement. The bride's family paid Rs 10 lakh in cash during the engagement and the remaining Rs 5 lakh on the wedding day, the police said.
The fraud came to light on Saturday after the woman reached Etawah, and a wedding attendee informed the family that the accused was not a civil servant. When her relatives visited the address provided by him, they found her in a small rented room, while the accused and his sister had fled, the police added.
The woman has also alleged that the accused planned to take her to Goa and sell her, and accused him of inappropriate behaviour.
The police suspect that the accused may have been involved in multiple such marriages in the past. Based on a complaint lodged at the cantonment police station, an FIR was registered on Saturday evening.
Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Kaustubh said efforts are underway to arrest the accused.
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