New Delhi, March 23 -- When Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmates returned to Earth on 18 March, the reaction worldwide was of relief and admiration. Their mission was originally planned as an eight-day crew flight test (CFT) of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. It extended to a dramatic nine-month journey due to technical difficulties, which laid bare some of the challenges of the space sector and the private sector's role.

In all, Williams, along with Butch Wilmore, spent 286 days consecutively at the International Space Station (ISS), the sixth-longest single stay by Nasa astronauts. Through their stay, they conducted "vital science, technology demonstrations, and maintenance aboard the ISS," Nasa said.







Since 1998, the ...