NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is set to participate in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections by casting her vote from space, a process enabled by NASA since 1997. Williams, along with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to an extended stay following technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Originally scheduled to return earlier, their mission has now been prolonged until February 2025, when SpaceX will retrieve them.
Despite being in space, the astronauts remain determined to fulfill their civic duties. Voting from space involves a secure electronic ballot system that sends and receives the astronauts’ votes from the ISS, ensuring their participation in American democracy from miles above Earth.
The astronauts have faced challenges during their extended stay but continue to adapt well. Williams described her time on the ISS as a “happy place” despite missing important moments on Earth, such as family time. Both astronauts have expressed gratitude for the teamwork and dedication shown by NASA and Boeing in resolving the Starliner issues
(India Today)(NewsX).
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