"Sunita Williams In Safest Possible Place In Space": ISRO Chief S Somanath

The Indian-origin astronaut has been at the International Space Station for two months on a mission that was supposed to last approximately a week.

Astronaut Sunita Williams' mission may have been prolonged because of glitches in the Boeing Starliner capsule but she is in the "safest possible place in space" and there is no cause for concern, ISRO Chairman S Somanath has said. 

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Tuesday, Mr Somanath was asked whether he had any concerns about Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla going to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year, given that Ms Williams - an Indian-origin astronaut - has been there for two months on what was supposed to be a mission lasting approximately a week.

"That has nothing to do with the ISS. Apart from Ms Williams, there are eight other astronauts, many of whom have been there for a long time. Their plan of return is with some other missions that are yet to be scheduled. The only question with Ms Williams is that she had planned for a week-long mission and should have returned aboard the Boeing starliner, which has faced some technical issues," the ISRO chief said.