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Sunita Williams Dances to ISS on Starliner’s Maiden Crew Flight

The spacecraft was launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida…reports Asian Lite News

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams danced her way to the International Space Station (ISS) in the early hours on Friday, as the Boeing Starliner spacecraft successfully docked to the orbital laboratory.

Along with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, she will spend about a week at the ISS.

“Docking confirmed! @BoeingSpace’s Starliner docked to the forward-facing port of the @Space_Station’s Harmony module. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will spend about a week. That feeling when you’re back on the station!” NASA said in a post on X.

Later, the seven Expedition 71 crew members gathered with the two crew flight test members for a team portrait aboard the space station.

The spacecraft was launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Programme, the mission is the first crewed flight for the Starliner spacecraft.

The Starliner mission aims to carry astronauts and cargo for future NASA missions to low Earth orbit, and beyond.

The crew flight test aims to certify the spacecraft for routine space travel to and from the space station.

ALSO READ-Sunita Williams’s inspirational space journey captivates schoolchildren at SIBF 2023

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Chandrayaan-3 Receives Cheers from Astronaut Sunita Williams

The Chandrayaan-3 was put into orbit on July 14 in a copybook style by India’s heavy lift rocket LVM3. The spacecraft completed orbiting around the earth and headed towards the moon on August 1…reports Asian Lite News

Wishing Indians ‘good luck’, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams has said she will cheer for India as Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander module attempts a touchdown on the moon’s surface on Wednesday.

“I am super excited for Chandrayaan-3 on the 23rd of August. Good luck, we are cheering for you,” the veteran NASA astronaut said in a video message shared by National Geographic India.

Williams, who has spent about 322 days in space in her two shuttle missions, said that landing on the moon will provide valuable insights on lunar composition and history.

National Geographic India will telecast a live coverage of the event, which will also feature inputs from space industry experts as well as astronauts like Williams and Rakesh Sharma on space exploration.

“We salute the brave dreamers of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Watch India’s historic touchdown, Chandrayaan 3 Live #countdowntohistory on 23 August at 4 pm on National Geographic,” the channel wrote on platform X.

According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the lander will begin its moon landing descent at 5.45 pm today, and the touch down to happen at about 6.05 p.m.

The soft landing is a tricky issue as it involves a series of complex manoeuvres consisting of rough and fine braking. ISRO said the powered descent of the lander will happen from an altitude of 25 km.

The Chandrayaan-3 was put into orbit on July 14 in a copybook style by India’s heavy lift rocket LVM3. The spacecraft completed orbiting around the earth and headed towards the moon on August 1.

The success of the mission is of prime importance to India, which will become the fourth country to master the soft-landing technology on moon surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

In addition, it will also become the first country to reach the unexplored larger south pole of the Moon.

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