5 months ago
25
NEW DELHI: The
Boeing Starliner
, piloted by Indian-origin astronaut
Sunita Williams
and her crewmate Butch Wilmore, successfully docked with the International Space Station (
ISS
) on Thursday. This mission marks a historic milestone as Williams becomes the first woman to pilot and test a new crewed spacecraft on its maiden voyage.
Upon arrival, Williams celebrated her third trip to the ISS with a joyful dance, a gesture of her excitement and happiness.
She was warmly welcomed by the seven astronauts aboard the station, who greeted her and Wilmore with the traditional ringing of a bell. Describing the crew as "another family," Williams expressed her gratitude for the warm reception.
After launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the spacecraft docked with the ISS 26 hours later, despite a one-hour delay due to minor technical issues such as helium leaks. The mission's primary objective was to validate the Boeing Starliner as a viable alternative to the
SpaceX Crew Module
for ferrying astronauts under NASA's commercial crew program.
The astronauts monitored the Starliner as it autonomously navigated a series of maneuvers to dock with the ISS. They also completed crucial tests, including manually flying the spacecraft for the first time in space. During their week-long stay, Williams and Wilmore will assist with tests and conduct scientific experiments.
Reflecting on the mission, Williams said, "It feels like going back home." She is known for previously carrying an idol of Lord Ganesh and the Bhagavad Gita to space. Before liftoff, Williams, who helped design the Starliner, admitted to some pre-launch nerves but expressed excitement about the spacecraft she had named "Calypso" after the ship of the famed French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
The astronauts' return journey will conclude with a landing on solid ground, unlike previous missions that ended with ocean landings.
