"Locks Of Love"- A Report On Sunita Williams

“Space is a transparent void. If we choose to see a riot of colours, we will see it even in the vast abyss of blackness!” said Flight Engineer ‘Suni’ Williams while communicating with the Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) situated approximately 400 kilometers above the Earth’s Surface.
‘Suni’ who is temporarily residing at the International Space Station is conducting various experiments as well as the ‘Space- Walks’ in order to rewire the entire Space Station and fix its solar array. Once the space walk is successfully completed, power will be fully online from the station's solar array wings. Also the station's power system will be ready for additional expansion with more arrays and new laboratories that are to be delivered next year.
During the critical power system overhaul, lights, smoke detectors, ventilation fans and other ISS systems will be shut off as well as half of the orbital laboratory will be powered down while ‘Suni’ reconfigures the station's power system to its permanent configuration.
A vital cooling system pump must perform properly afterward to ensure the work is successful. ‘Suni’ will also be given the go ahead to inspect and tap the portside wing of the space station's previous solar arrays.
‘Suni’ whose real name is Sunita Lyn Williams was born on 19th September in Euclid, Ohio and is an astronaut with Nasa. She graduated with a Bachelor in Physical Sciences and previously worked with the U.S Navy after which she was recruited by Nasa. During her Naval Service Sunita was honoured twice with the Navy Commendation Medal, once with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Selected by NASA in June 1998, Williams began her training the same year. Her Astronaut Candidate training included orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques.
Following a period of training and evaluation, Williams worked in Moscow with the Russian Space Agency on the Russian contribution to the International Space Station (ISS), and with the first expedition crew sent to the ISS. Following the return of Expedition 1, Williams worked within the Robotics branch on the ISS Robotic Arm and the related Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. She was a crewmember on the Neemo 2 mission, living underwater in the Aquarius habitat for nine days in May 2002
Sunita’s parents Dr. Deepak and Mrs. Bonnie Pandya, reside in Falmouth, Massachusetts. However, Sunita’s routes can be traced back to Gujarat in India where she is seen often, eating the Indian food her grandmother cooks.
Her recreational interests include running, swimming, biking, triathlons, windsurfing, snowboarding and bow hunting and she has a pet named Gorby who she wanted to take with her to space but couldn’t because of obvious reasons!
Among the personal items Williams took with her to the ISS are a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, a small statue of Lord Ganesha and some Samosas.
Recently, when the crew from the mission, STS 116 returned after safely leaving Sunita at the ISS, they brought back Sunita’s Hair that she had decided to donate to an NGO “Locks Of Love” in order to make wigs for children undergoing chemotherapy.