Sunita Williams’ Third Space Mission Cancelled Just Hours Before Launch

The launch of the Boeing Starliner, which was set to carry astronaut Sunita Williams to space for the third time, has been postponed due to a technical glitch. No new launch date has been announced. Ms. Williams, a prominent figure for women aiming to enter space, was scheduled to embark on the journey aboard a new spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida’s Cape Canaveral at 8.04am India time.

However, just 90 minutes before liftoff, the launch was called off due to an off-nominal condition on an oxygen relief valve of the Atlas V rocket, which led to the postponement. Ms. Williams and NASA’s Barry Wilmore, the crew set to fly the Starliner to the International Space Station, have safely exited the spacecraft. This would have marked the third space travel for the Indian-origin astronaut, who previously spent 322 days in space and set a record for the most spacewalk hours by a woman before being surpassed by Peggy Whitson.

Additionally, she would have made history as the first woman to fly on the maiden crewed mission of a new space shuttle. Ms. Williams’ first space voyage was from December 9, 2006, to June 22, 2007, during which she established a world record for women with four spacewalks totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes. Her second voyage occurred from July 14 to November 18, 2012.

The 59-year-old expressed some nervousness about the upcoming mission but emphasized her lack of jitters about flying in a new spacecraft. She conveyed her intention to carry an idol of Lord Ganesh, her “good luck charm,” on the journey and had previously taken a copy of the Bhagwad Gita into space. An avid marathoner, Ms. Williams even completed a triathlon in space, competing with athletes back in the US.

The 10-day mission was designed to demonstrate the Starliner’s space-worthiness and the team’s readiness to achieve NASA certification for long-duration missions.