What were the odds? NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Joanne Higginbotham flew side by side in December 2006 to operate the International Space Station’s robotic arm. Both had master’s degrees from Florida Institute of Technology.
Now, Ms. Higginbotham is cheering on her friends and alumni, and Ms. Williams is preparing to make history by returning to the orbiting outpost aboard the maiden flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
“It’s really amazing that Suni can fly in a new vehicle. Not many people get to do that. Not only will she be able to fly in a shuttle, she’ll be riding in this brand new vehicle. It should be exciting,”’ Higginbotham said.
“The fact that there’s a delay is what happens with new spacecraft. It’s within expectations. And we want to make sure we work out all the kinks on the spacecraft before we put humans on board,” she said. Told.
“So I’m excited for her. And I know she’s excited too because she’s been waiting for her maiden voyage on this ship for quite some time,” she said. .
Williams and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore are scheduled to lift off aboard the Starliner aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday at 10:34 p.m. is.
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Two days before the launch, Higginbotham will address Florida Tech graduates at three spring graduation ceremonies on Saturday. She earned a master’s degree in business administration in 1992 while working at Kennedy Space Center, and in 1996 she earned her second master’s degree in space systems, where she worked on the shuttle for Columbia’s orbiter project. Became chief engineer.
Florida Tech President John Nicklow will award Higginbotham an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
“From the education we provided to the first astronauts on Cape Island to the cutting-edge research and education that is making our nation’s future on the Moon and Mars a reality, Florida Tech educates the world’s brightest minds. I am honored to have contributed to the advancement of the space industry over the past 65 years,” Nickloe said in an email.
“Joanne and Sunita are without a doubt two of the best and we are so proud to call them Florida Tech Panthers. Their success on and off the ground will inspire future generations. “It will be a great inspiration to Florida Tech students and alumni,” he said.
Williams earned a master’s degree in engineering management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1995 in the university’s Extension Research Department in Patuxent, Maryland. She served as a U.S. Navy helicopter test pilot and instructor at Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
Williams and Higginbotham were mission specialists aboard Discovery during the STS-116 mission, which lasted nearly 13 days and featured the installation of the P5 truss to the ISS. As a flight engineer, Williams spent her time on the ISS, and by the time she returned to Earth in June 2007, she recorded her four extravehicular activities totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes, marking the world of women. We set a record.
Higginbotham described Williams as “very well-rounded, very professional, with a great sense of humor, just the kind of person you’d want to fly into space with.”
“Suni and I were partnering up to fly robotic arms on the International Space Station, and I think it was really cool to be able to pair up with her. I think we complimented each other so much. She had my back, I had hers, and we worked together. We knew we were going to go up there and be very successful. ” Higginbotham recalled.
“I don’t know if a lot of people know, but Suni grew her hair really long because she was going to donate it to Locks of Love, and that’s why I was named the barber.” she said.
“I cut her braids before she went to the space station, and everyone was telling me not to quit my day job. It looks like you didn’t do a great job of styling your hair,” she said. Laughter.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
rick neil I’m a space reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neil:Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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