CHENNAI: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her co-passenger Butch Wilmore are now celebrating six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after landing on Boeing's Starliner on June 5, 2024. They left earth for a eight-day mission. However, they could not return back due to a technical glitch.
Since christmas, celebrations in space station are in full gear. On Monday, SpaceX Dragon spacecraft reached ISS, bringing christmas gifts and food supplies to the astronauts. The astronauts are also expected to make calls with family and friends ahead of christmas.
Christmas spirit never ceased in space. It all began with Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, and William Anders in 1968, spending the first Christmas in orbit around the moon.
More than a decade later, during their record-breaking 84-day mission in 1973 and 1974, the Skylab 4 crew including Gerald P. Carr, William R. Pogue, and Edward G. Gibson—also had a chance to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year in the Skylab space station.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are carrying on this tradition.
Although their mission was extended because of technical issues, preparations are in place to bring them back to Earth.
Elon Musk's SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to return the duo in February 2025.