The Nature remains mysterious and the uncertainties surrounding the space mission of NASA’s two astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore has confirmed the same more than anything else. An empty and innocent mind of a child sees the universe with astonishment and curiosity. However, the growing scientific inputs into its mind begins to destroy the elements of surprise the infinity of the Nature engenders. As a grown-up human, he/she begins to assert that he/she knows that the Nature is not mysterious but it can be explained through science. Human-beings over the years have let the mysterious character of the Nature die down in his/her mind and sought to render and succumb the Nature to scientific explanations. The recent news that the spacecraft Boeing Starliner will reach the earth uncrewed on September 7 leaving the two astronauts to further extend their stay in space until the month of February next year corroborated the fact that the best of scientific minds hailing from the best astronomical research organization NASA could fail to grasp the dynamics of the Nature. What NASA’s administrator Bill Nelson recently stated is remarkable in this context: “Spaceflight is risky. Even at its safest. Even at its most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine.” NASA can hardly ignore the space mission of Kalpana Chawla that went awry and she had to sacrifice her life.
Amid a spate of high profile news, a news that is doing rounds in electronic, print and social media is the space mission of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore both of whom took off in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft on June 5 this year with an objective to explore and make a voyage into the infinity of nature and test the viability of Starliner for commercial space travel.
The mission to the International Space Station that was initially believed to be accomplished within a few days (around 8 days) entered into an arena of unexpected delays due to technical glitches in the propulsion system and helium leaks. The extended and indefinite stay in the space for the two astronauts came as a challenge for themselves as well as for NASA. Meanwhile, Williams reportedly experienced vision/eyesight related problems due to prolonged microgravity exposure and the scientific community called it Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) that impinges on clarity of vision and results in structural changes in the eye.
More studies came and speculations made on health related problems that could come with an extended stay in the space for the two astronauts. NASA expressed its concerns that Williams may be facing a critical health issue with an accelerated rate of red blood cell depletion. The symptoms that defined space anemia are extreme tiredness and fatigue, changes in mental health, reduction in heart activity, loss of bone density, and body imbalance. When William’s mother began to express anxiety over her daughter’s extended mission and health issues, she has been assuaged by William’s response that everything will be okay. However, it is not for the first time that Williams headed to space. Prior to this mission, Williams had on extensive missions in 2006-07 and 2012. Her mother must have been proud to have a daughter who has attained a record of spending the highest number of days in space as a woman encompassing these three missions. Nevertheless, as the Nature has willed it, both the astronauts Williams and Wilmore have to stay in space till February next year as Boeing Starliner will return to Earth with neither of them onboard in September. This has been decided by NASA keeping in view of the spacecraft’s faulty thrusters and helium leaks, making it risky for the astronauts onboard.
The scientific explanations of water molecules as the combination of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom can hardly explain the mysterious character of water depending on which the entire human civilization as well as lives of other species exists. Similarly, knowing the Sun as a Star hardly makes a difference to its mysterious role in sustaining the human and lives of other species.
Notwithstanding these facts, Science being amoral in character has explored the Nature and gifted us with many valuable inventions of goods and technologies to bring in more efficiency in human activities as well as making human lives more comfortable. However, human beings started misusing the gifts of Science by choosing to use nuclear technology to develop nuclear bombs rather than generate electricity by using the pure energy that can reduce levels of pollution. Human beings also misused technological advancements such as internet and telecommunications to satisfy its selfish and unethical urges. Cyber-theft, Cyberwarfare and misuse of Artificial intelligence technologies are frequently heard concepts in the recent times because certain sections of societies chose to misuse science for selfish interests. The Nature is mysterious and the more the Science tries to uncover it, the more susceptible the knowledge becomes to the selfish and power mongers.