Sunita Williams, Indian-Origin Astronaut, Flies To Space Onboard Boeing Starliner

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams flew to space on Wednesday for the third time with a colleague, making history by becoming the first people to board Boeing's Starliner spaceship and go to the International Space Station for the third time.

Following several delays, Williams and Butch Wilmore took off on Boeing's Crew Flight Test mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Williams, 58, is the pilot for the flight test while Wilmore, 61, is the commander of the mission. Williams also created history becoming the first woman to go on board such mission. 

This is not the first time when Williams created a history. In 2012, during a prior trip to the International Space Station, Williams became the first person to finish a triathlon in space, during which she simulated swimming using a weight-lifting machine and ran on a treadmill while strapped in by a harness so she wouldn't float away.

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That came after she ran the Boston Marathon from the space station in 2007.

Williams graduated from the US Naval Academy in May 1987 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy. Williams is a veteran of two space flights, Expeditions 14/15 in 2006 and 32/33 in 2012. NASA picked Williams as an astronaut in 1998.

Williams graduated from the US Naval Academy in May 1987 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy. She is a veteran of two space flights, Expeditions 14/15 in 2006 and 32/33 in 2012. NASA picked her as an astronaut in 1998.

She served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33.

Boeing's Crew Flight Test mission has been delayed for several years because of setbacks in the spacecraft's development.

Last-minute computer trouble nixed Saturday's launch attempt for Boeing's first astronaut flight, the latest in a string of delays over the years.
It was the second launch attempt. The first try on May 6 was delayed for leak checks and rocket repairs.

With the launch, Boeing became the second private firm able to provide crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside Elon Musk's SpaceX.

(With agency inputs)