Sunita Williams: Completes 50 Days In Space, Research On ‘Space Gardening’

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams has surpassed 50 days in space aboard Boeing Starliner’s inaugural flight, a mission originally planned for 10 days. Accompanied by fellow astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, Williams has been contributing to various scientific and maintenance tasks on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 6.

Sunita Williams, on her third space mission, has been involved in groundbreaking research addressing the challenges of microgravity. Her work includes studying fluid physics to improve plant cultivation in space. This research is crucial for advancing space gardening techniques and understanding plant growth in microgravity environments.

Additionally, Williams and Wilmore have been conducting vein scans with an ultrasound device to explore the impact of microgravity on the human body. This procedure allows researchers on Earth to monitor real-time data, enhancing our understanding of how space travel affects vascular health.

The ISS team is also engaged in advanced biology research, including studies on the psychological and physiological effects of long-term space habitation. Sunita Williams has played a role in extracting DNA from microbe samples collected from the ISS’s water systems, furthering research into microbial life in space.

NASA recently updated that engineering teams from NASA and Boeing have successfully completed ground hot fire tests of the Starliner’s reaction control system thruster. These tests, conducted at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, simulate in-flight conditions experienced during the spacecraft’s approach to the ISS. The data gathered will inform the spacecraft’s undocking and deorbit procedures for its eventual landing in the southwestern United States.

As Sunita Williams and Wilmore continue their mission, their contributions are expected to provide valuable insights into space travel and long-term space habitation.