American astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry (Butch) Wilmore, are still docked with the International Space Station (ISS) since June 6.
- Their return is facing delays due to space debris threats, helium leaks and technical glitches on the Starliner spacecraft on which they travelled.
- NASA along with the space capsule’s manufacturer Boeing is evaluating Starliner’s propulsion system and the five small helium leaks in the service module.
- Sunita Williams (58) is the pilot of NASA’s Crew Flight Test mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner space capsule.
- The mission is a joint venture between NASA and Boeing to open up commercial travel to low-Earth orbits and the ISS to more people for scientific and commercial purposes.
- United Launch Alliance manufactured the Atlas V rocket which transported the astronauts via Boeing’s space capsule Starliner to the ISS.
Helium
- Helium is a colourless, odourless, inert and non-toxic gas used to push propellent into the space capsule’s thrusters to fire them and help maneuver in space.
- Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen.
- Of all the elements, helium is the most stable; it will not burn or react with other elements.
- Helium has the lowest melting and boiling points.
- Helium is a non-renewable natural resource that is most commonly recovered from natural gas deposits.
- Perhaps the most familiar use of helium is as a safe, non-flammable gas to fill party and parade balloons.
