NASA astronaut Sunita Williams assumes 2nd command of the International Space Station.
Astronaut Sunita Williams has taken over command of the International Space Station for a second time, having led Expedition 33 in 2012.
Williams, along with astronaut Butch Wilmore, had their eight-day mission extended to February 2025 owing to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner that flew them to the orbiting laboratory in June.
The baton was handed to Williams by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko as she prepared to oversee ongoing operations and research aboard the ISS.
As the spacecraft commander, Williams will utilize her experience of more than 322 cumulative days in space across multiple missions, as well as holding the record for maximum spacewalks by a woman astronaut.
Her leadership assumes significance with a SpaceX Crew Dragon rescue mission in the pipeline to facilitate the astronauts’ safe return.
Under Williams’ guidance, the ISS will continue functioning as the premier site for international collaboration in space science over the next few months.
The complexity involved in human spaceflight has been underscored by the extended mission as Williams adds another feather to her legacy of pathbreaking contributions to space exploration.
