Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow NASA colleague Butch Wilmore, currently stuck on the International Space Station (ISS), expressed their anticipation on September 14 for casting their votes in the 2024 US presidential elections from space. Both astronauts emphasised the significance of fulfilling their civic duty despite being in orbit.
Williams mentioned that they had already sent down their requests for ballots, adding, “Looking forward to voting from space, which is pretty cool.”
Wilmore also stressed their responsibility as American citizens, noting that “NASA makes it very easy for us to do that.”
The 2024 US elections, scheduled for November 5, will see a contest between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. Williams and Wilmore are eager to participate in the electoral process despite their extended stay on the ISS.
The two astronauts launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, as part of the spacecraft’s first crewed mission.
Originally slated for an eight-day mission, their stay has now stretched to eight months due to technical issues encountered by the Starliner, which recently returned to Earth without them.
Commenting on being stuck in space, the Indian-origin astronaut said in a video press conference, “That’s how things go in this business.”
She added that the transition to station life was not that hard since both astronauts had prior experience on the ISS. Reflecting on her extended mission, Williams shared, “This is my happy place. I love being up here in space.”
