00:00NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded in space for almost
00:06nine months now.
00:07It was supposed to be a mission of nine days.
00:11SpaceX postponed the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from Florida due to a hydraulic system
00:15issue with the ground support.
00:17That means the Crew 10 mission to bring back the Crew 9 mission astronauts is going to
00:21be delayed.
00:22But hope is not lost.
00:23NASA is aiming for the launch no earlier than 5 a.m., we are told, tomorrow morning.
00:30So there is still hope.
00:31They are still looking at it.
00:32Otherwise, it's going to be Monday.
00:34Basically, they have to leave the International Space Station to return to Earth.
00:38And there are many challenges, technical, gravity-related, health-related and more.
00:44So these are the details that are coming in right now.
00:46Visuals on your screen.
00:47Now, remember, she's been looking resilient.
00:49Sunita Williams, Indian-origin astronaut, and Butch Wilmore have been putting out videos
00:53to say they are celebrating festivals, they are in good health.
00:57But in zero gravity, nine months is a challenge.
01:01Let's go across now to try and understand what exactly happened.
01:05Joining me, Sibu Tripathi, he's India Today's senior assistant editor of science and has
01:09been tracking this issue since the day the mission was launched.
01:12Sibu, good morning.
01:13Now, it was always supposed to be an experiment mission.
01:17The astronauts realized the challenges.
01:19But tell me now, one, how and why has the delay happened at this time?
01:24Good morning, Pooja.
01:26First of all, the launch was supposed to happen this morning around 5.18 a.m.
01:32This was a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that was taking crew time.
01:35So four astronauts to replace the four astronauts currently in space.
01:39The problem happened with one of the hydraulic systems on the retractable arm of the Dragon
01:44spacecraft.
01:45Therefore, the launch was cancelled at the last moment.
01:50And a new date was issued.
01:51Initially, the plan was that it will be launched tomorrow morning.
01:54But what we are getting the latest update is due to high winds in the launch area, this
01:58launch has been further delayed.
02:00So now the launch is expected to happen on Saturday morning around 5.30 a.m.
02:07So this has been the latest update around it.
02:09The launch happens, this will take about 12, 12 and a half hours to basically land with
02:14the space station and then the docking will happen.
02:16So it's a long process.
02:17It has been further delayed.
02:18What this means is, Sohita Williams' return will again be delayed.
02:22And this will now happen in a week's time, so sometime around next week, Thursday or
02:25Friday is when we are expecting her to come back.
02:27So it's going to be perhaps a daily assessment that will be done of the spacecraft.
02:32Sehboor, for those wondering, how are nine months in space in zero gravity?
02:38Of course, these are experienced scientists and astronauts.
02:40They know fairly well what they have been in.
02:43But tell us more, what kind of challenges are they facing right now, possibly?
02:48And on their return to Earth, when there will be gravity, that will be another level of
02:51challenge they'll have to adjust to.
02:53Definitely.
02:54When the Starliner that took astronauts Sohita Williams and Wilmot to space, we need to know
03:01that this was a demo mission.
03:03The idea was that they wanted to certify Starliner spacecraft that it is fit to carry humans
03:07and then safely bring them back.
03:09There were a lot of uncertainties and Sohita Williams and Wilmot has repeatedly said that
03:14space travel is filled with uncertainties.
03:16Therefore, when the problems arise, they decided that the mission will be extended.
03:21Now, this nine day mission has now turned into over an eight month mission.
03:25And with this, a lot of complications come in.
03:27First of all, you have to make a major readjustment psychologically that, OK, now we have to stay
03:31in space for at least the next seven to eight months, which takes a huge toll on the psyche
03:37of the person.
03:38But then we all know that most of the astronauts are veteran fighter pilots, helicopter pilots
03:43and veteran astronauts as well.
03:45So they've been in the space before and they know the rigors of going into space.
03:48When it comes to physical and health assessment of the two astronauts, then definitely it
03:54takes a lot of toll physically on the astronauts because zero gravity is where you do not experience
03:59any weight, you float, you are weightless in the space station.
04:04So all this affects is mostly that your bone density goes down, your bones are affected.
04:08Secondly, your cardiovascular system, they take a toll.
04:12So all this has been taken into consideration.
04:15A healthy diet is prescribed by NASA.
04:18Apart from that, a lot of exercises are done in NASA.
04:22So NASA has developed special equipment for astronauts to live and work in space station.
04:26They continuously work out on the space station on a daily basis.
04:32Therefore, it's a long process and once they come back, that's also a huge process.
04:37So what we know is that once the astronauts come back to earth, they take at least six
04:41to seven months for the body to fully readjust to the gravity on the planet.
04:47It's incredible what you're telling us because as Sebu is explaining what the body goes through
04:53in space and then when there will be gravity.
04:55Remember, physical fitness aside, and I'm sure they are fit, she's almost 60 years of
04:59age, but it also needs psychological stamina to keep your spirit and hope high despite
05:05the uncertainty of the return.
05:07It's been nine months already, but we hope they'll be entering into earth's surface again
05:11and will be reunited with their family.
05:13Thank you very much for now, Sebu Tripathi, for all the latest on that.
05:17I want to bring to the viewer basically what exactly is this rescue mission, so to say,
05:22about what does this mean and why are we facing delays and postponements on this.
05:27Now, remember, this space mission is where the SpaceX spacecraft, Dragon Space, will
05:32bring back the astronauts.
05:33So they have taken it upon themselves.
05:35Trump, when in this administration, said they cannot be abandoned and these astronauts will
05:40be brought back soon.
05:42The spacecraft will carry four experienced NASA astronauts as part of the Crew 10 mission.
05:47So the mission that will go to the International Space Station is the Crew 10 mission and that
05:51needs to replace the Crew 9 mission presently, which is at the ISS.
05:56So they will replace these members, which means Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore will
06:00have to be brought back in the spacecraft that comes back now.
06:03But what does that really mean?
06:04Remember, when you head into space, there are challenges of not just heading into and
06:09toward the ISS, but to return to Earth's atmosphere.
06:13And that's where there can be especially some technical challenges that you have to be very
06:17sure of having cleared.
06:19Post launch, Falcon 9 will be deployed and will deploy the Dragon capsule toward the
06:24ISS.
06:25So basically, they are in the International Space Station are comfortable for now, but
06:29there is also a time bound limit that they are looking at.
06:32Upon docking, the handover process will begin with Sunita Williams.
06:37And I keep saying Sunita Williams first because she in many ways is the commander of the mission.
06:41She's the leader.
06:42She gets to decide what needs to be done with other members of the crew as well.
06:46So that is what is going to happen.
06:48Looking with a strong spirit right now, but definitely it gets challenging over the next
06:53few days.
06:54So this is what is happening.
06:55And we hope that they'll be entering into Earth again.
06:59Remember, NASA is being very cautious right now amid all of this because the Crew 9 will
07:05begin their journey to Earth post the undocking.
07:08And it's a matter of about 12 to 24 hours when this mission is going to go on.
07:13Remember, we know about incidents like 2003 when Kalpana Chawla was returning and the
07:21spacecraft blew into pieces.
07:23A similar incident in 1986.
07:25And therefore, the NASA astronauts want to ensure that this return will happen soon and
07:30should be safe and smooth.
07:32What are the health concerns?
07:33What are the challenges when you're in space in microgravity?
07:36All that you have to tolerate and bear to return safely to Earth.
07:40Here's more on that.
07:53A 10-day space odyssey that ended up lasting almost 10 months.
07:59But it will not be a normal homecoming.
08:02Williams and Wilmore will face difficulties to adapt to Earth's gravity.
08:08The two may experience baby feet after extended space travel, which means they will lose the
08:14thick part of their skin as weightlessness causes food calluses to diminish.
08:19They may experience dizziness, vertigo and difficulty walking for the first few days.
08:25Even though astronauts exercise in space, muscles, especially in the legs and back,
08:30weaken due to reduced use.
08:32Prolonged weightlessness leads to bone density loss, increasing the risk of fractures.
08:38In space, fluids shift upwards and the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood.
08:43They will require a period of cardiovascular recovery.
08:47They might experience spatial disorientation
08:49as the brain readjusts to the constant downward pull of gravity.
08:55To counter these effects, NASA and other space agencies have extensive rehabilitation programs
09:01involving physical therapy, medical monitoring and gradual reconditioning.
09:06After coming back from space, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will take weeks to acclimatize.
09:13Bureau Report, India Today.
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