WATCH: Indian-Origin Astronaut Sunita Williams Dances Upon Reaching ISS Aboard Starliner

The Boeing Starliner piloted by Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. This milestone marks Williams as the first woman to pilot and test a new crewed spacecraft on its maiden mission.

Williams, 59, is on her third trip to the ISS, having previously carried an idol of Lord Ganesh and the Bhagavad Gita to space. To celebrate her arrival, she performed a dance and embraced the seven astronauts already aboard the ISS. The crew welcomed her and Wilmore with the traditional ringing of a bell.

Hugs all around! The Expedition 71 crew greets Butch Wilmore and @Astro_Suni aboard @Space_Station after #Starliner docked at 1:34 p.m. ET on June 6. pic.twitter.com/wQZAYy2LGH

— Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) June 6, 2024

“That’s the way to get things going,” Williams remarked about her impromptu dance party, expressing gratitude for the warm welcome and calling her crewmembers “another family.”

The Starliner crew, the first to fly this new spacecraft, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and docked with the ISS about 26 hours later. Despite a one-hour delay caused by technical issues, including minor helium leaks, the spacecraft completed its docking procedure successfully.

During their journey, Williams and Wilmore conducted a series of tests, including the first manual flight of the Starliner in space. They will spend a week on the ISS, assisting with various tests and scientific experiments. Unlike other missions, their return will be a terrestrial landing rather than a sea recovery.