Needham High School Graduate to Participate in NASA's First Commercial Space Flight

Photo Credit: NASA

NASA has selected Sunita Williams, of Needham, as one of four astronauts to participate in the first U.S. commercial space flight.

Williams, 50, graduated from Needham High School in 1983. She has a great deal of experience, having logged more than 3,000 flight hours.

The commercial space flight program was started by NASA to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit, according to their website.

“I cannot think of a better way to continue our celebration of independence this July than to mark this milestone as we look to reassert our space travel independence and end our sole reliance on Russia to get American astronauts to the International Space Station,” said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden.

Williams is slated to travel into space in 2017.