NASA News: Astronaut Sunita Williams all set to travel to space for the 3rd time

Indian-origin Sunita Williams is all set to embark on her third journey to space on Saturday. Williams will pilot Boeing’s Starliner first crewed spacecraft to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), days after the mission was postponed due to a technical snag. She will also be accompanied by another NASA astronaut in the test flight.

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When will Sunita Williams’ third flight to space begin?

Sunita Williams’ flight to the ISS is set to lift off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre around 10 pm Indian Standard Time today, according to NASA. The test flight mission will carry NASA astronaut Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore along with Williams. The two will become the first humans to go aboard Starliner spacecraft as per the US space agency’s Commercial Crew Program.

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About Sunita Williams

Sunita Williams is a former record holder of most space walks by a woman. She is also a United States Navy Officer and was a part of expedition 14 and expedition 15. While serving as an officer in Navy, she was later recruited by NASA. She has also received Padma Bhushan award for her achievements.

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Williams concluded her tour of duty by returning to Earth with shuttle Atlantis’ STS-117 flight to land at Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 22, 2007. Her career as an astronaut began when she was selected by the US space agency in June 1998.

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About Starliner’s debut crew launch flight

The debut crew launch flight will begin after the spacecraft will be catapulted into space on an Atlas 5 rocket of the rocket company United Launch Alliance (ULA). The spacecraft is expected to reach ISS on Sunday, after which the astronauts will remain at the space station nearly for a week. During their stay, they will perform a range of tests related to the spacecraft.

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If the launch goes as per plan, then the Starliner spacecraft will land on June 10, according to NASA. Starliner will begin its return flight from the ISS and re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. After it will make a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States on June 10.

What’s at stake for Boeing in Sunita William’s space mission?

The success of this flight test mission will pave the way for Boeing to supply its spacecraft, Starliner, and its systems for crewed rotation missions to the ISS. If the mission is successful, then NASA will begin using the Starliner capsule to send four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for its missions to low Earth orbit.

NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are ready for the June 1, launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test according to an announcement during a prelaunch media briefing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

“I’m very proud of the teams who have worked really hard the last two and a half weeks to prepare for launch,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We’re really ready to go fly” he said.