Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, 58 years, flew to space from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, USA after multiple delays on morning of Wednesday, 5 June 2024 along with Butch Wilmore, 61 years, the commander of the mission.
Wilmore and Williams are also the first to be launched on an Atlas V rocket and are currently experiencing microgravity on their way to the space station. They will conduct a series of flight test objectives, including manually flying Starliner.
Once docked to the International Space Station (ISS), Wilmore and Williams will spend about a week on station before returning to Earth.
Following a successful CFT, Boeing and NASA will continue working to certify Starliner for long-duration operational missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Life and Education
Sunita Williams (Pandya; born September 19, 1965) is an American astronaut, United States Navy officer, and former record holder for most spacewalks by a woman (seven) and most spacewalk time for a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes).
Williams is a native of Needham, Massachusetts, was born in Euclid, Ohio, to Indian-American neuroanatomist from Mumbai, Deepak Pandya, and Slovene-American Ursuline Bonnie (Zalokar) Pandya, who reside in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
She was the youngest of three children. Her brother Jay Thomas is four years older and her sister Dina Annad is three years older. Williams’ paternal family is from Jhulasan in the Mehsana district in Gujarat, India, whereas her maternal family is of Slovene descent. Williams has taken the Slovenian flag, a samosa and Carniolan sausage to space in celebration of her Indian and Slovenian heritage.
Williams graduated from Needham High School in 1983. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in physical science from the United States Naval Academy in 1987, and a Master of Science degree in engineering management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.
Military Career
Williams was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy in May 1987. She worked with various capacities in US Navy. In January 1993, Williams began training at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. She graduated in December, and was assigned to the Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Directorate as Project Officer and chase pilot. Later, she was assigned as the squadron Safety Officer.
In June 1998 when she was selected by NASA for the astronaut program. She has logged more than 3,000 flight hours in more than 30 aircraft types.
Career in NASA
Williams was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) with STS-116, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, on December 9, 2006, to join the Expedition 14 crew.
As of August 2012, Sunita Williams had made seven spacewalks totalling 50 hours and 40 minutes, at the time putting Williams fifth on the list of most experienced spacewalkers.
In 2012, during a prior trip to the International Space Station (ISS), Williams became the first person to finish a triathlon in space, during which she simulated swimming using a weight-lifting machine and ran on a treadmill while strapped in by a harness so she wouldn’t float away.
Commercial Crew programme
In July 2015, NASA announced Williams as one of the first astronauts for U.S. Commercial spaceflights. Subsequently, she began working with Boeing and SpaceX to train in their commercial crew vehicles, along with other chosen astronauts.
In August 2018 she was assigned to the first mission flight, CTS-1, to the International Space Station of Boeing CST-100 Starliner.
On June 16, 2022, NASA confirmed that Starliner-CFT will be a two-person flight test, consisting of Wilmore and Williams.
On June 5, 2024, Sunita Williams became the first woman to fly on a flight test of an orbital spacecraft when the Starliner launched to orbit with Williams as the spacecraft’s pilot.
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