**FILE PHOTO** This official undated photo released by NASA shows STS-116 Mission Specialist Sunita Williams. (AP Photo/NASA, HO)
Posted on 03/27/2007 6:54:31 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Astronaut Sunita Williams is stuck in space — at least temporarily. She flew up to the international space station last December planning to come home in early July after a seven-month stay.
When she comes back now will be a bit later than she planned.
The problem is that a hail storm that damaged the fuel tank of the space shuttle Atlantis has knocked NASA's flight schedule for the year out of whack.
Her ticket home, space shuttle Endeavour, may get off the ground several weeks later than its originally scheduled June 28 launch.
So Williams — who got a bit of attention for her accident with wasabi which wound up on the walls of the space station — may have to wait a little longer to go to her favorite sushi restaurant in Houston.
"We're doing things we can as best we can to make her happy, and perhaps launch some special items that will make her more comfortable for that extended period of time," said Kirk Shireman, NASA's deputy manager of the space station program. "Aside from that, there's not a whole lot that one can do."
Flight surgeon Dave Alexander said Williams' physical fitness, mental well-being and radiation exposure would be monitored carefully, but "right now, the predictions are Suni can stay up for an extended period of time."
During her longer stay in space, Williams is expected to break the U.S. record for continuous time in space. Her current crew mate, Michael Lopez-Alegria, will set that record when he returns to Earth on April 20 in a Russian Soyuz vehicle with 214 days in space.
The longest stay in space was 437 days by Russian Valeri Polyakov.
**FILE PHOTO** This official undated photo released by NASA shows STS-116 Mission Specialist Sunita Williams. (AP Photo/NASA, HO)
In this image from NASA Television, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, top, and flight engineer Sunita Williams are shown folding a heat shield during a space walk on the International Space Station in this February file photo. Williams is stuck in space because of delay in shuttle flights to space station. (AP Photo/NASA TV)
Now all they have to do is lose her luggage and NASA will officially become US Airways.
Oh My!
Not quite: they will need to misdirect the return flight, too, and sent het into a lunar orbit instead.
lol. I wonder if they'll charge her $5 for the extra comfort items they are sending up?
So this guy and this chick are stranded alone in a cramped spacecraft for months? No wonder he wants to come home first. ;-P
7 months in space. "Her current crew mate, Michael Lopez-Alegria"
Well now, let's hope she doesn't start wearing diapers when she lands.
I always t'ought it was Ladies FiRst?
"Passengers waiting on US Spaceways 97: The equipment is at the gate but the crew is still circling over Uranus. We're estimating a 90 minute delay, but departure times are just estimates. Please remain in the gate area to guarantee your reserved seating."
I clicked this thread just hoping there would be a good line relating to the astronut...thanks! :D
Oh the pain, the pain.
-pssst- someone tell Lisa Nowak that this astronaut is seeing Oefelien-she'll figure out a way to strap on a diaper and get to the station and bring her back.
Her ticket home, space shuttle Endeavour, may get off the ground several weeks later than its originally scheduled June 28 launch.
Imagine that. A government program running behind schedule, probably over budget, and no major updates to the vehicle in question in over 30 years. Yep, sounds exactly like a government program. Woo-hoo, let's hear it for limited government!!
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