The team of astronauts led by Commander Sunita Williams aboard the International Space Station (ISS) faced an emergency due to a strange “poisonous” smell. The smell was detected while opening the cargo spacecraft, to which the team responded immediately.
According to reports, when the hatch of the Progress MS-29 cargo spacecraft delivering vital supplies like food and fuel to the ISS was opened, an unusual smell was detected. Astronauts also found small droplets inside the spacecraft.
Upon discovering the potential threat, the crew immediately sealed the hatch and isolated the affected area from the rest of the space station.
What did the astronauts do to avert the emergency?
NASA responded quickly, activating air-scrubbing systems throughout the station to purify the atmosphere. For added safety, the crew wore personal protective equipment (PPE) while checking air quality. This quick action enabled the crew to save themselves and maintain their operations.
NASA has confirmed that air quality on the ISS has returned to normal, posing no safety risk to the crew. However, the origin of the smell is still uncertain, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether it emanated from the Progress spacecraft or from the vestibule that connects it to the ISS.
The Progress MS-29 spacecraft will remain docked at the ISS for a period of six months, after which it will return to Earth carrying the waste material.
thanksgiving in space
In an interview with NBC News on November 27, Sunita Williams said she would watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with her colleague Wilmore and SpaceX Crew-9 members Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov.
After enjoying the parade, the astronauts will enjoy a Thanksgiving meal – “some smoked turkey, some cranberries, apple cobbler, green beans and mushrooms and mashed potatoes.”
When will Sunita Williams return to earth?
Sunita Williams is set to return to Earth in February 2025, about eight months after the Starliner space flight launched from Earth in June this year. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were launched to the ISS in June.
The pair were set to return to Earth about a month after their launch, but their return space flight was delayed several times due to technical glitches in the Boeing Starliner. Now, both are set to return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft.
