Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her NASA colleague Butch Wilmore, who are currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), are preparing to cast their votes in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election from space.
Both astronauts are keen to fulfill their civic duties despite being in orbit. Williams expressed excitement about voting from space, stating, "Looking forward to voting from space, which is pretty cool." Wilmore also emphasized their role as "American citizens" and noted that NASA facilitates this process for them.
The election, scheduled for November 5, will feature a contest between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. Despite their extended stay on the ISS, Williams and Wilmore are eager to participate in the electoral process.
The two astronauts launched aboard Boeing's Starliner on June 5, as part of the spacecraft's first crewed mission. Originally planned as an eight-day mission, their stay has now extended to eight months due to technical issues with the Starliner, which recently returned to Earth without them.
In a video press conference, Williams commented on their extended mission, "That's how things go in this business," and noted that adapting to life on the ISS had been "not that hard" due to their prior experience. Reflecting on her time in space, Williams said, "This is my happy place. I love being up here in space."
Although Williams and Wilmore had hoped to complete the Starliner mission and return home, Williams acknowledged, "We wanted to take Starliner to completion and land back on land at home, but you have to turn the page and look at the next opportunity."
As they continue their scientific work, both astronauts are maintaining optimism and are excited to cast their votes in the 2024 presidential election from their unique vantage point.
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