Sunita Williams makes historic third trip to space

Sunita Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, US as part of Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission.

• Vivek Mishra
• 06 June, 2024

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By: Vivek Mishra

Sunita Williams embarked on her third journey to space on Wednesday, becoming one of the first astronauts aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft headed to the International Space Station (ISS).

Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, US as part of Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission. This mission had faced several delays before finally lifting off.

The 58-year-old astronaut of Indian origin serves as the pilot for the mission, with Wilmore, 61, acting as the commander. Williams made history as the first woman to pilot the Starliner spacecraft to the ISS.

In 2012, Williams became the first person to finish a triathlon in space during a trip to the International Space Station.

She simulated swimming using a weight-lifting machine and ran on a treadmill while strapped in by a harness. In 2007, she ran the Boston Marathon from the space station.

Williams received her commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987. She was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and has completed two space missions: Expeditions 14/15 in 2006 and Expeditions 32/33 in 2012. She served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and commander of Expedition 33.

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Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission faced several years of delays due to setbacks in the spacecraft’s development. Last-minute computer trouble canceled Saturday’s launch attempt, following the first attempt on May 6, which was delayed for leak checks and rocket repairs.

With this launch, Boeing became the second private firm to provide crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX.