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Podcast: In Focus by The Hindu
Episode: What happens to astronauts on an extended stay in space
Description: On June 5 this year, when NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams flew the Boeing Starliner crew capsule to the International Space Station, they expected to be back within about eight days. Now however, these seasoned astronauts will remain in space for eight months – until February 2025. What happened? Their capsule which on its first flight with a human crew was not deemed safe enough to bring them back after helium leaks and other malfunctions developed. Eventually, the Starliner capsule returned to Earth without its crew. Barry and Sunita are now scheduled to return in a SpaceX crew capsule next ye...