The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) chief Dr S Somanath in an exclusive interview to NDTV said the delayed return of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams from the International Space Station (ISS) should not be seen as a hugely worrying factor as the ISS is a safe place with long endurance.
"It is not just Sunita Williams or any other astronaut. Getting stranded or stuck in a place is not a narrative that we must have at this moment. There are nine astronauts there; all of them are not in a stranded situation," the ISRO chief told NDTV.
"All of them have to come back someday. The whole issue is about testing a new crew module called Boeing Starliner, its ability to go up there and then come back safely. There are enough capabilities with ground launch providers (to bring them home). That's not an issue. ISS is a safe place for people to stay for a long time," he said.
"The question today when we develop a spacecraft like the Starliner should be whether it can operate reliably for onward and return journeys. This I believe is what the agencies concerned are thinking," Dr Somanath said.
He said the ISRO is very proud of Ms Williams for her courage.
"We are all proud of her. There are many missions to her credit. It is a courageous thing to travel in the first flight of a new space vehicle. She herself is part of the design team and used inputs from her experience. We are also building a crew module and I can understand the kinds of interactions she must have had. We have experience, but she has a lot more experience than us. I wish all the best for her to return successfully, learn from that, and contribute in building spacecraft," Dr Somanath said.
On whether ISRO would take her service as an adviser for the Indian space programme, Dr Somanath said the space agency is always welcome to anyone who suggests ideas.
"The space programme after all is for the entire humanity. A nation may make a spacecraft, but it is for humanity. Who knows, tomorrow our spacecraft will be the one going up there for rescue missions of another nation," the ISRO chief said.
Last week, NASA postponed the Boeing Starliner's return to Earth from the ISS, carrying its first crew of astronauts, to allow more time for review of technical issues that had been encountered.
The US astronauts, Barrt "Butch" Wilmore and Ms Williams, lifted off on June 5 as a final demonstration to obtain routine flight certification from NASA.
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