NASA chooses Sunitha for new mission in space

Washington, Jul 10: Space woman Sunita Williams, a United States Naval officer and a NASA astronaut is again assigned for one more trip to space in 2012.

NASA said Williams would be joined by flight engineers Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, on Soyuz 31 flight to the space station.

According to the NASA, Sunita William would become the commander of the International Space Station in October 2012.

This mission will be undertaken by the space agencies of three nations that is NASA, the Russia Federal Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Indian-American Sunita Williams, a NASA astronaut, is the second woman of Indian origin after the late Kalpana Chawla to go into space after being selected by NASA.

Married to Michael J Williams, Sunita launched with the crew of STS-116 on December 9, 2006, docking with the station on December 11, 2006.

In September 2007, on her visit to India, Sunita Williams became the first Non-Resident Indian to be honored with Sardar Valllabhbhai Patel Pratibha Award by World Gujarati Society.

oneIndia News