Sunita emulates Kalpana, to go on NASA mission

After late Kalpana Chawla, Sunita L Williams will be the second astronaut of Indian origin to go to space. She was named as a part of the 14-member crew for NASA?s International Space Station.

After late Kalpana Chawla, Sunita L Williams will be the second astronaut of Indian origin to go to space. She was named as a part of the 14-member crew for NASA’s International Space Station.

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While Chawla came from India, Williams – daughter of Deepak Pandya and Bonnie Pandya – has been born and brought up in Ohio, US. Williams will join Expedition 14 and serve as a flight engineer.

She will travel to the station on space shuttle mission STS-116, whose launch date is yet to be decided. This will be Williams' first space flight.

Williams, selected as an astronaut in 1998, is a graduate of the Naval Academy. She was designated a Naval Aviator in 1989 and graduated from the Naval Test Pilot School in 1993.

Sunita has logged more than 2,770 flight hours in 30 different types of aircraft. At NASA, she has supported station robotics work.