Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Make History on Boeing's Starliner Flight

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams flew to space for the third time aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Alongside colleague Butch Wilmore, Williams made history as part of the NASA-Boeing Crew Flight Test. The mission aims to certify Starliner for operational missions to the International Space Station.

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams embarked on her third spaceflight, making history aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Along with colleague Butch Wilmore, the duo launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, marking the beginning of the NASA-Boeing Crew Flight Test mission.

The mission, initially plagued by delays, aims to certify Starliner for operational missions to the International Space Station. Williams, 58, serves as the pilot, while Wilmore, 61, is the mission commander. They are the first astronauts to be launched on an Atlas V rocket, experiencing microgravity en route to the space station.

This flight marks another milestone for Williams, who made headlines previously by completing a triathlon in space in 2012 and running the Boston Marathon aboard the ISS in 2007. Once docked, the crew will spend about a week on the ISS before returning to Earth. Following a successful mission, Boeing will proceed to certify Starliner for long-duration missions.

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