Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) after Boeing's Starliner spacecraft failed to return to Earth, according to various references from Internet. They recently had eye tests so that doctors on Earth could keep an eye on their health in real time. Regular eye exams are important because long space missions can cause vision problems, which have been noticed in previous astronauts.
Along with eye tests, their bone and muscle health is also being checked regularly. Besides their daily health check-ups and exercise, Sunita and Butch are also involved in various scientific studies and research on the ISS.
The mission, called the 'Crew Flight Test,' started on June 5, 2024, and was supposed to last only eight days. This was the first spaceflight partnership between NASA and Boeing, a private company. However, a helium leak in the spacecraft's thrusters created problems, extending the mission for months. Eventually, NASA brought the Starliner back to Earth without the crew, and Sunita and Butch's return was rescheduled to February 2025.
They will return to Earth on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft in February 2025. The Starliner safely landed on September 7, 2024, in New Mexico. NASA stated that extending the mission was the right decision due to safety concerns.
This information was sourced from publicly accessible websites, and we are always grateful to those sources.
