Thursday , December 26 2024

Sunita Williams's third space flight delayed, flight canceled 90 minutes before takeoff

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams was all set for her third space flight but now it has been postponed. Actually, due to technical glitch, it was decided to cancel the mission 90 minutes before take-off. The new launch date has not been announced yet.

Sunita Williams was scheduled to leave for her third spacewalk on Tuesday. Sunita was scheduled to lift off at 8.04 am aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Carnival, Florida. However, 90 minutes before takeoff, scientists discovered a technical fault in the spacecraft's oxygen valve, causing the flight to be aborted. NASA scientist Barry Wilmore went to the International Space Station in a Boeing spacecraft along with Sunita Williams.

Sunita Williams has spent a record 322 days in space and holds the record for being the female scientist to complete the longest spacewalk. Williams first flew into space on December 9, 2006, and remained in space until June 22, 2007. Sunita Williams had spacewalked four times for a record 29 hours and 17 minutes.

After this, Sunita Williams went on a second space trip on 14 July 2012 and remained in space till 18 November 2012. Sunita Williams, 59, said she was a little nervous before the flight but was also excited to fly in the new spacecraft. Williams said the International Space Station is like a second home to him.