What would you do if you were to stay in space indefinitely? That's the question astronauts Barry Wilmore, 61, and Sunita Williams, 58, are now facing.
“It's not at all unexpected, that's one possibility,” says his colleague Christer Vogelsang, 67.
Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams of the United States went into space on a test mission in early June. They were supposed to be gone for eight days, but their spacecraft suffered technical problems. They reportedly arrived at the International Space Station safely, but were unable to eject. BBC.
Eight days now feel like eight months, and they have to prepare to celebrate Christmas and New Year's in the weightlessness of the atmosphere.
It doesn't come as a surprise.
Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang worked with both Wilmore and Williams. Wilmore had been his long-time co-pilot in the Astronaut Office, and Williams flew with him.
“It was on the same space shuttle when it first flew to the space station,” Fuglesang says.
According to Vogelsang, the extended spacewalk is not a surprise. He says the astronauts prepared for this development before leaving.
It's hard to know whether they think it's funny, or if they'd rather not stay up so long. But he says many people appreciate the chance to stay up longer.
It tells about private space flights.
Christer Fuglesang himself has been in space twice. Both times the trips were longer than expected, partly because of the weather, and partly because of a broken solar panel he had to fix during a spacewalk.
I was thrilled with every extra day I got. The fact that I got an extra tour in space was so much fun, he says.
When asked if staying on the space station for a long time wasn't boring, Vogelsang replied that most people don't think so. Plus, the connection to Earth is very good.
Obviously you can't meet your loved ones and hug them. But you can call them pretty much anytime. Call them and talk to them, and there's good internet, he says.
What would you say to Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams if you were talking to them on the phone right now?
Congratulations! You are so lucky to be able to stay there much longer.
No decision has yet been made on how NASA will help Wilmore and Williams return home. The hope is that they can return in the same vehicle, but NASA is keeping the door open to other options as well.
TV4 Nyheterna asked NASA's commercial crew sources for comment.
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