Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams set for historic Starliner mission to ISS
PTC Web Desk: Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams is poised to embark on a groundbreaking journey to space once again, this time aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Alongside fellow NASA veteran Butch Wilmore, Sunita Williams will undertake the first crewed test flight of the Starliner, destined for the International Space Station (ISS).
Scheduled to lift off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the mission marks a significant milestone for Boeing, positioning it as the second private entity capable of shuttling crews to and from the ISS. Launch is set for Monday, May 6, at 10:34 p.m. EDT (May 7 at 8:04 a.m. Indian Standard Time).
While SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, achieved a crew flight test in 2020 and has since completed numerous missions to the ISS, Boeing’s Starliner faced setbacks, including a failed attempt in December 2019 before a successful uncrewed test flight in May 2022.
Piloted by Sunita Williams and Wilmore, the Starliner’s Crew Flight Test (CFT) will dock with the ISS for approximately a week, with the astronauts slated to spend 8 days aboard the station before returning to Earth on May 15. This test flight will subject the Starliner to rigorous evaluations by NASA to certify it for future rotational missions to the ISS under the Commercial Crew Programme.
Notably, the Starliner will touch down on land in the western United States, differing from previous capsules that splashed down in the sea upon re-entry.
Sunita Williams, a retired US Navy captain, holds a distinguished record in space exploration, including a world record for women at the time with four spacewalks during her Expedition 14/15 mission. Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998, she has accumulated 322 days in space across two missions.
Wilmore, aged 61, brings his own expertise to the mission, having logged 178 days in space and completed four spacewalks.
Boeing envisions six manned missions for the Starliner platform over the next six years, aligning with NASA’s plans to send astronauts to the ISS every six months from US soil. Both SpaceX’s Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner were tasked by NASA in 2014 to conduct commercial crew missions to the ISS, with Boeing receiving over USD 4 billion in federal funds for Starliner’s development.
Meanwhile, India’s space ambitions are showcased through its Gaganyaan programme, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently unveiled the four astronauts selected for the mission, scheduled for launch in 2024-25, underscoring India’s strides in human spaceflight.