Indian-Origin Astronaut Sunita Williams Pilots Starliner in Historic Flight Test

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, in partnership with Butch Wilmore, made history by piloting Boeing‘s Starliner spacecraft in a groundbreaking flight test towards the International Space Station (ISS).

Williams, a seasoned astronaut who has logged multiple spacewalks and holds the record for the most hours spent in space by a woman, took on the role of pilot for this significant mission while Wilmore assumed the position of mission commander.

During the 25-hour journey to the ISS, the crew engaged in a unique test of manually piloting the spacecraft, exploring various capabilities of the Starliner craft.

Wilmore and Williams demonstrated the manual control features, such as pointing the spacecraft towards the earth for optimal communication with satellites, adjusting the spacecraft’s orientation for charging its batteries using solar power, and showcasing the ability to establish spatial position using star trackers in the VESTA system.

Furthermore, the crew conducted maneuvers to simulate breaking away from the ISS orbit if needed and practiced the crucial re-entry orientation into Earth’s atmosphere, all while showcasing the spacecraft’s capability for manual operations.

The successful lift-off of Starliner, named Calypso, marks a critical milestone for Boeing, positioning them as the second private company alongside Elon Musk‘s SpaceX to provide crew transport services to the ISS.

The journey signifies a significant step for NASA‘s commercial space program, aimed at reducing costs and fostering partnerships with private entities for human space travel and scientific research.

This achievement highlights the collaborative efforts between NASA, Boeing, and the astronauts involved, setting the stage for future manned missions aboard the Starliner spacecraft and further advancements in space exploration.