Sunita Williams completes six months in space: A glimpse of Nasa astronaut's journey so far

Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, launched on June 5 aboard Boeing's new Starliner crew capsule, marked six months aboard the International Space Station on Thursday, with two months remaining. The duo originally intended for a week-long test flight.

Boeing Starliner which was supposed to fly them back a week after the launch faced thruster failures and helium leaks leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded on the ISS. The capsule returned on September 7 without the astronauts onboard.

Sunita Williams and Wilmore took on vital responsibilities such as conducting spacewalks, maintaining the ISS, and carrying out scientific experiments after they became full-time crew members from temporary visitors.

Sunita Williams' health deteriorated significantly after her return was postponed by more than eight months. Recent images of Williams indicate visible weight loss. The absence of gravity leads to muscle and bone loss. To mitigate this, astronauts typically engage in daily exercise, averaging around 2.5 hours per day.

Sunita Williams celebrated her 59th on the International Space Station on 19 September. This wasn't her first birthday in space, as she also celebrated one during her second extended spaceflight on Expedition 32/33 from July 14 to November 18, 2012.

Sunita Williams extended her Diwali greetings from the ISS this year. “Greetings from the ISS. I want to extend my warmest wishes for a Happy Diwali to everyone celebrating today at the White House and around the world,” she said in a video.

The American space agency released a two-minute video on July 26, providing how the astronauts participated in fun-filled activities several miles above from the Earth.

The space agency has announced that SpaceX's Falcon-9 spacecraft will bring back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in February 2025.