Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams dances on her arrival at International Space Station on historic Starliner mission | WATCH

The Boeing Starliner, carrying Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. The 59-year-old has made history as the first woman to pilot and test a new crewed spacecraft on its maiden mission.

Williams had previously taken an idol of Lord Ganesh and the Bhagavad Gita to space and this marks her third trip to the ISS.

She performed a brief dance to celebrate her arrival and embraced the seven other astronauts aboard the station.

As per an old ISS tradition, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore were welcomed by the ringing of a bell.

Sunita Williams said, “That’s the way to get things going,” while speaking about her “dance party”. She thanked her crewmembers, whom she called “another family”, for “such a great welcome.”

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Ms. Williams and Mr. Wilmore are the first crew to fly the Starliner. They successfully docked the Boeing spacecraft with the ISS about 26 hours after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The two NASA astronauts monitored Starliner as it autonomously conducted a series of maneuvers, gradually bringing the spacecraft closer to the orbiting laboratory before docking. The docking was delayed for about an hour due to technical glitches, including minor helium leaks.

On their way to the ISS, the crew completed a series of tests, including manually flying Starliner for the first time in space. They will spend about a week in space, assisting with various tests and conducting scientific experiments.

Upon their return, the Starliner is scheduled to land on land rather than in the sea. NASA has always sought an alternative to the SpaceX Crew Module for ferrying astronauts, and the Boeing Starliner is becoming a viable option as part of the commercial crew program.

“Like going back home”, says Sunita Williams

Before liftoff, Sunita Williams admitted to being a bit nervous but expressed no jitters about flying in a new spacecraft. “When I reach the International Space Station, it will be like going back home,” she said.

Williams played a role in designing the SUV-sized Starliner, which can accommodate seven crew members. She was also given the opportunity to name the spacecraft, choosing “Calypso” after the famous ship used by French oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau.