Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams is gearing up for her third journey into space, set to embark on Tuesday as the pilot aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
Departing from Cape Canaveral in Florida, Williams, 58, alongside fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) in what could mark a significant milestone for Boeing's space program.
The launch, scheduled for 22:34 local time on Monday (8:04 am IST on Tuesday), signals a crucial test flight for Boeing’s Starliner, which has faced delays and setbacks in its development phase.
However, if successful, it will signify a monumental achievement, positioning Boeing as the second private firm capable of providing crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside SpaceX.
Mark Nappi, vice president and Starliner program manager at Boeing, talked about the challenges faced during the spacecraft's development, highlighting the resilience of the team in overcoming various obstacles.
"Design and development is hard — particularly with a human space vehicle," Nappi stated during a news briefing, emphasising the team's dedication in reaching this pivotal point.
“There’s a number of things that were surprises along the way that we had to overcome. … It certainly made the team very, very strong. I’m very proud of how they’ve overcome every single issue that we’ve encountered and gotten us to this point,” Nappi said.
The significance of this mission was highlighted by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who referred to it as "history in the making" during a recent news conference.
The success of Boeing's Starliner would contribute to what Nelson described as "the golden era of space exploration," reflecting the agency's long-standing ambition for private industry collaboration in crewed space missions.
Both SpaceX and Boeing developed their respective vehicles under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, aiming to have both companies operational simultaneously.
This strategy provides redundancy and flexibility, ensuring astronauts can continue their missions even if one spacecraft encounters technical issues.
Sunita Williams, a United States Navy veteran, joined NASA in 1998 and has since become a seasoned astronaut, with two previous space missions under her belt.
During Expedition 14/15, launched in 2006, Williams set a world record for female astronauts with four spacewalks totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes.
She later commanded Expedition 33, further solidifying her expertise and leadership in space exploration.
Her upcoming mission aboard Boeing's Starliner represents another milestone in her illustrious career, showcasing her dedication to advancing human space exploration.
Williams, born in Euclid, Ohio, to Indian-American neuroanatomist Deepak Pandya and Slovene-American Ursuline Bonnie Pandya, holds degrees in physical science and engineering management.
Throughout her space missions, Williams has conducted extensive research and exploration, contributing to our understanding of space and the capabilities of human spaceflight.
Her cumulative time spent in space amounts to 322 days.
Follow us
