The Boeing Starliner with Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore on Thursday safely docked with the International Space Station (ISS). The 59-year-old astronaut has become the first woman to pilot and test a new crewed spacecraft on its maiden mission.
Ms Williams, who has earlier carried an idol of Lord Ganesh and the Bhagavad Gita to space, is back on the ISS for her third trip.
To celebrate her arrival at the space station, she performed a little dance and hugged the seven other astronauts aboard the ISS.
Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore were welcomed by the ringing of a bell, which is an old ISS tradition.
Hugs all around! The Expedition 71 crew greets Butch Wilmore and @Astro_Suni aboard @Space_Station after #Starliner docked at 1:34 p.m. ET on June 6. pic.twitter.com/wQZAYy2LGH
— Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) June 6, 2024
"That's the way to get things going," Sunita Williams said while speaking about her "dance party".
Calling her crewmembers "another family", she thanked them for "such a great welcome".
Listen to the @Space_Station crew's remarks welcoming #Starliner Crew Flight Test commander Butch Wilmore and pilot @Astro_Suni to ISS after entering today at 3:45 p.m. ET. pic.twitter.com/2TGVNQW89r
— Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) June 6, 2024
Ms Williams and Mr Willmore are the first crew to fly Starliner.
They successfully docked the Boeing spacecraft to the ISS about 26 hours after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Starliner to the stars! ✨
— NASA (@NASA) June 5, 2024
At 10:52am ET, @BoeingSpace #Starliner lifted off on a @ULALaunch Atlas V for the first time with @NASA_Astronauts aboard. This Crew Flight Test aims to certify the spacecraft for routine space travel to and from the @Space_Station. pic.twitter.com/WDQKOrE5B6
The two NASA astronauts monitored Starliner as it autonomously conducted a series of maneuvers to steadily bring the spacecraft closer to the orbiting laboratory before docking.
Docking was delayed for about an hour due to technical glitches like minor helium leaks.
Docking confirmed!@BoeingSpace's #Starliner docked to the forward-facing port of the @Space_Station's Harmony module at 1:34pm ET (1734 UTC). @NASA_Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will soon make their way into the orbital laboratory, where they'll spend about a week. pic.twitter.com/BtcXA4Vq4t
— NASA (@NASA) June 6, 2024
On the way to the ISS, the crew completed a series of tests including manually flying Starliner for the first time in space. They will spend about a week in space and will assist with various tests and conduct scientific experiments.
On their return home on the Starliner, they are scheduled to make a landing on land and not in the sea.
NASA has always wanted an alternative to the SpaceX Crew Module to ferry astronauts and the Boeing Starliner is shaping into just that as part of the commercial crew program.
"Like Going Back Home": Sunita Williams On Flying To Space Station
Sunita Williams, before the lift-off, had admitted to being a bit nervous, but said she had no jitters about flying in a new spacecraft.
"When I reach the International Space Station, it will be like going back home," she had said.
Ms Williams has helped design the SUV-sized Starliner, which can accommodate seven crew.
She was also given the opportunity to name the spacecraft, and she named it "Calypso" after the famous ship on which the French oceanographer and legendary filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau explored the oceans when she was still a student.
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