Sunita Williams, an Indian-American astronaut, made history by being the first female spacecraft pilot on a crewed test mission.
On June 5, Sunita, 58, and NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore launched the Starliner capsule from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
As part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, the mission, known as the Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), is essential to approving the Starliner for frequent crewed trips to the International Space Station (ISS).Should it be successful, Starliner will be the second private spacecraft to carry astronauts to and from the orbiting laboratory, following SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
Sunita has completed two prior space shuttle missions, totaling 322 days in orbit, and this flight marks yet another pioneering milestone in her trailblazing career.As she just broke the record for the most spacewalks (7) and the longest spacewalk duration (50 hours, 40 minutes) for a female during her ISS trips in 2006–2007 and 2012.
About 26 hours after takeoff, the Starliner capsule which is carrying Williams, Wilmore, and more than 500 pounds of cargo for the orbiting outpost—will try to dock with the ISS.Before returning to Earth and making a parachute-assisted landing in the western United States, the two astronauts are expected to spend around a week on the station testing and verifying Starliner’s systems.
Her accomplishment is remarkable considering her Indian-Slovenian ancestry. Her mother is Slovenian-American, while her father is Indian-American from Gujarat. She has honored her eclectic heritage by bringing Slovenian and Indian artifacts on her prior spaceflights.
Their groundbreaking journey onboard Starliner represents a critical step in extending humankind’s access to space through commercial collaborations, even while Sunita and Wilmore continue their operations aboard the International Space Station.
Additionally, it solidifies Sunita’s reputation as one of the most accomplished female space explorers in history.
Source : INDIA TODAY
