Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, who is scheduled to embark on her third journey into space on May 7, will be carrying the Bhagwad Gita with her, as reported by NDTV.
In an interview with the news outlet, Williams revealed that she identifies more as spiritual than religious. She mentioned that she will also be taking a statue of Lord Ganesh, whom she considers her lucky charm, on the upcoming flight aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Centre.
During her previous space missions, Williams carried the Bhagavad Gita.
When asked about her feelings before the third flight, she admitted to some nerves but expressed confidence in flying in the new spacecraft. She likened her arrival at the International Space Station to returning home.
Apart from her space endeavours, she is known for her passion for marathon running and even completed a marathon while aboard the International Space Station.
Notably, Williams holds the record for the most spacewalk time by a female astronaut, apart from several milestones through her space career.
For the unversed, she has completed seven spacewalks, totaling 50 hours and 40 minutes.
Currently, Williams is undergoing training to pilot the Crew Flight Test mission on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, marking its first crewed flight.