ISRO chief says Sunita Williams return delay is not a concern, 'the whole issue is...'

Dr. S Somanath, the chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday reassured that the delayed return of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams from the International Space Station (ISS) shouldn't cause major concern. He emphasized that the ISS is a safe environment with long-term capabilities, NDTV reported.

"It is not just Sunita Williams or any other astronaut. Getting stranded or stuck in a place is not a narrative that we must have at this moment. There are nine astronauts there; all of them are not in a stranded situation," the ISRO chief told NDTV.

"All of them have to come back someday. The whole issue is about testing a new crew module called Boeing Starliner, and its ability to go up there and then come back safely. There are enough capabilities with ground launch providers (to bring them home). That's not an issue. ISS is a safe place for people to stay for a long time," he said.

"The question today when we develop a spacecraft like the Starliner should be whether it can operate reliably for onward and return journeys. This I believe is what the agencies concerned are thinking," Dr Somanath said.

He mentioned that ISRO is extremely proud of Williams for her bravery.

"We are all proud of her. There are many missions to her credit. It is a courageous thing to travel in the first flight of a new space vehicle. She is part of the design team and used inputs from her experience. We are also building a crew module and I can understand the kinds of interactions she must have had. We have experience, but she has a lot more experience than us. I wish all the best for her to return successfully, learn from that, and contribute in building spacecraft," Dr Somonath said.

When asked if ISRO would consider her as an advisor for the Indian space programme, Dr. Somanath said ISRO welcomes ideas from anyone willing to contribute.

"The space programme after all is for the entire humanity. A nation may make a spacecraft, but it is for humanity. Who knows, tomorrow our spacecraft will be the one going up there for rescue missions of another nation," the ISRO chief said.

Last week, NASA delayed the return of the Boeing Starliner capsule carrying its first crew from the ISS. This decision was made to thoroughly review technical issues that had come up.

US astronauts Barrt "Butch" Wilmore and Williams launched on June 5 for a final test to secure routine flight approval from NASA.