Astronaut Chris Williams / Photo courtesy NASA
On Sunday, a NASA Astronaut who calls Potomac his hometown returned to Earth after eight months in space.
Chris Williams, who is now based in Houston, was a part of an eight-month science mission aboard the International Space Station, where he supported a wide range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. He was joined by his crewmates Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev as they landed in Kazakhstan during their return home.
Despite being born in New York City, Williams considers Potomac to be his hometown. He graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring in 2001 before going to Stanford University and MIT.
NASA has released a statement explaining Williams’s role in space.
“He helped advance research for new cancer treatments and improved in-space manufacturing of materials used in high-performance computers and electronics. Williams also completed two spacewalks to prep for space station power system upgrades and to replace a faulty joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm. The crew’s work aboard the space station helps improve life on Earth and prepare for future human missions to the Moon and Mars.”
This was Williams first mission to the International Space Station.
Photo courtesy NASA
