Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow astronauts celebrated the beginning of the Paris Olympics high in space at ISS. The space station inhabitants performed gymnastic steps and somersaults in the weightless environment, 400 kilometres above Paris. They engaged in Olympic-themed activities like throwing discus, shot put, and weightlifting manoeuvres in microgravity.
NASA shared a video of these activities, tweeting, "Let the games begin! Athletes from across the world are gathering today to kick off the 2024 #Olympics - pushing boundaries and inspiring generations. If you were an Olympic athlete, which sport would you play?" The astronauts extended their good wishes to the athletes competing under Earth's gravity.
Indian-origin astronaut is seen doing gymnastics in a weightless environment. The astronaut seemed to be in high-spirits despite being stuck in space for 52 days.
NASA assures that the nine astronauts on-board the ISS are continuing their scientific work and are safe. Despite the malfunction of their return vehicle, the Boeing Starliner, the astronauts remain in "good spirits."
Boeing Starliner troubles
In a separate update, NASA officials conducted a 'hot test' on the malfunctioning Boeing Starliner, which is still docked at the ISS. The test results showed the thrusters performed at peak thrust values, and the helium system remained stable. NASA is hopeful for a safe return of the Starliner.
Mission update
Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore reached the ISS on June 6 for a 10-day mission. However, due to the Starliner's malfunction, they have been unable to return. Boeing reports that the Starliner can remain docked for a maximum of ninety days, meaning there's less than six weeks to resolve the issue or arrange an alternative return. Standby spacecraft, such as SpaceX's Crew Dragon or Russia's Soyuz, are already docked at the ISS, providing contingency options.
Boeing has faced several setbacks with the Starliner development, having spent $5.7 billion on a project initially estimated at $4.2 billion. The company is also under scrutiny for its overall safety and transparency practices, as recent Senate hearings with Boeing CEO David Calhoun highlighted.
Following the successful 'hot test,' NASA and Boeing are assessing the results. There's hope that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore might return to Earth before a new crew of four astronauts arrives. This new crew is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket and Crew Dragon after August 18.