NASA record holder takes control of ISS station

Sunita Williams, the record-holder astronaut, is the longest-flying woman in orbit, was given the right to administer the International Space Station (ISS).

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Mrs. Williams took control of ISS from Russian astronaut Gennady Padalka, who was preparing to take Soyuz spacecraft back to Earth after months of managing outposts on human space. She became the second female station chief in the 14-year history of the ISS station.

NASA astronaut came to ISS with Russian colleagues Akihiko Hoshide and Yuri Malenchenko in July and she will run the Expedition 32 squadron before returning to the ground in November, according to Space.com. .

After three astronauts, including former chief of Padalka, returned to Earth, ISS had to wait until October to add more personnel.

Astronaut Sunita Williams during the reception ceremony of ISS station chief - (Photo: NASA)

Mrs. Williams, 46, is a US colonel colonel and is taking the second longest flight on Earth's orbit. She flew for the first time in 2007 and spent 195 consecutive days on ISS, becoming the longest female astronaut in NASA history.

ISS's first chief station was NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who operated the station in the Expedition 16 mission that lasted from autumn 2007 to spring 2008.