Video goes viral showing Sunita Williams returning to Earth from ISS; Fact Check

Posted by: Sridevi P October 17, 2024

Several social media users are sharing a video with a claim that Indian-Origin astronaut Sunita Williams is returning safely to Earth from the International Space station (ISS) where she was stuck for over four months.

See the posts on social media:

One claim reads:”After successful 127 days of Space Tour, “Ms Sunita Williams” retuning safely to Earth. This is absolutely mind blowing video
and just stunning to watch.” Another said, “After successful 127 days of Space Tour, “Ms Sunita Williams” retuning safely to Earth. This is Absolutely Mind Blowing video. Must Watch.”

FACT CHECK

Seeing several claims going rounds on social media, DigitEye India took it up for fact-checking. Taking a few frames from the video, performing a Google Reverse Image Search revealed that this is an old video from November 2012, when Sunita Williams recorded an extensive tour of the ISS showing all facilities and areas including orbital laboratory, kitchen, toilet, sleeping bed, space suit etc. The video was uploaded by NASA on You tube then as she was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 15, 2012, as part of the Expedition 32/33.

Her Russian spacecraft Soyuz TMA-05M docked with the ISS for a four-month stay and she returned to Earth with fellow astronauts Yuri Malenchenko and Akihiko Hoshide on November 19, 2012.

However, again on June 5, 2024, Sunita Williams along with Butch Wilmore were sent to International Space Station (ISS) and they successfully docked the Boeing Starliner with the ISS. The mission was originally planned to be a week-long test flight, but they could not return due to technical snags with the Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft which left them stuck in space. They are now scheduled to return in February 2025 aboard SpaceX Dragon.

Hence, the claim that Sunita Williams returned to Earth is false.

Claim: After successful 127 days of Space Tour, Sunita Williams returning safely to Earth.

Conclusion: Misleading. An old 2012 video of Sunita Williams aboard ISS was used. She is scheduled to return to Earth in February 2025.

Rating: Misleading —

 

 

About Sridevi P

Sridevi, a business management graduate from Osmania University, Hyderabad has contributed fact-checks whenever she found time. She can be reached at psridevi@digiteye.in

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