HOUSTON: Indian American Sunita L Williams, the well known NASA astronaut, is gearing up for her third space mission, this time as the pilot of the Crew Flight Test mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. This mission marks the first crewed flight for the Starliner and is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Williams, a former Navy test pilot who rose to the rank of captain before joining NASA, has an impressive spaceflight record. She has spent a total of 322 days aboard the International Space Station (duing Expeditions 14/15 and Expeditions 32/33. Notably, she has commanded the space station and completed seven spacewalks.
The upcoming mission, scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 6, will see Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore lift off aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. They will dock at the ISS for about a week, testing the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system, including launch, docking, and return to Earth.
Williams’ spaceflight experience began in 2006 with Expedition 14/15, during which she set a record for females with four spacewalks totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes. Her second mission, Expedition 32/33 in 2012, saw her spending four months conducting research and exploration aboard the ISS, once again setting a record for total cumulative spacewalk time with 50 hours and 40 minutes.
In addition to her space accomplishments, Williams has received numerous awards and honors for her service, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Navy Commendation Medal.
