Around the Bluhmin’ Town

By

Judy Bluhm

Stuck. In Space. Imagine being marooned on the International Space Station (ISS) for a few months, with no real clear strategy to get back to Earth. Two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are stuck because the Boeing Starline spaceship that got them there has thruster problems and helium leaks. NASA is evaluating what next steps to take. If deemed safe, the astronauts could return on the Boeing Starliner. Or wait until February of 2025 and hitch a ride back with the next astronaut crew, on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship, which has a yearslong record of safe flights.

Risk. You cannot become an astronaut without understanding that things can go wrong. NASA is trying to mitigate the risk to bring Williams and Wilmore home safely. If they wait till February to return on the Crew Dragon capsule, it means that the Starline ship will become undocked and sent back to Earth empty. The astronauts would have no evacuation plan for two days if an emergency arose. And while there is another Dragon spaceship docked at the Space Station, the astronauts do not have the correct SpaceX spacesuits to make the trip. Evidently Amazon isn’t delivering there anytime soon.

So far, both astronauts seem to be making the most of their time in space. They are conducting scientific experiments and routine maintenance for the Space Station. They appear to be in good spirits and Williams said that being in space is her “happy place.” Yet, we are all aware of the gravity of this situation.

Probably we all have been stuck at various times in our lives. Traffic jams, sitting for hours going nowhere, having a flight cancelled, stuck at home until the wash recedes or the snowstorm stops. Being stuck can be a life-altering experience. I recall being a young nurse driving to work from Chardon, Ohio when the blizzard of the century closed all roads. I was able to make it to a gas station (those were the days when there were attendants) and sat in a small shop for six hours. I played poker with two old guys, then rolled the dice in a game to determine whether I was going to move out west or to Florida. I was done with blizzards! “West” was my destiny, and I moved in the Spring.

If two retired Navy Captains are stranded in space until next year, will they be allowed to vote? Perhaps set up a special email communication ballot for this circumstance? Well, I suppose that won’t happen. Just like they might miss every holiday that is important to them and their families. But these two astronauts are fierce and do not complain. I mean, when I was stuck in an airport in Buffalo one time (and had to stay almost all night) I thought I would lose my mind. Clearly, Williams and Wilmore are made of the right stuff.

While NASA’s method of bringing home the astronauts remains up in the air, we will wish for Gods speed and safe landings.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Contact Judy at [email protected] or visit www.aroundthebluhmintown.com.