Jeffrey Nels Williams (born January 18, 1958) is a retired United States Army officer and a NASAastronaut. He is a veteran of four space flights and formerly held the American record for most days spent in space, which was surpassed in April 2017 by his colleague Peggy Whitson.[1] He still holds the record of the longest time in space for an American man.
Williams served with the Army at Johnson Space Center from 1987 to 1992 before training as a test pilot. In 1996, he was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate. In July 2002, Williams served as the commander of the NEEMO 3 mission aboard the Aquariusunderwater laboratory, living and working underwater for six days.[4][5]
Williams in the Destiny laboratory module during Expedition 21
STS-101
In 2000, Williams launched to space for the first time on STS-101. STS-101 delivered supplies to the International Space Station, hauled up using a Spacehab double module and an Integrated Cargo Carrier pallet. Williams and fellow crew member James Voss performed a spacewalk and then reboosted the station from 230 miles (370 km) to 250 miles (400 km). They returned to Earth after over 9 days on orbit.
Expedition 13
Williams onboard Soyuz TMA-8
Williams also flew aboard the Soyuz TMA-8 mission, replacing Expedition 12 astronaut William S. McArthur. He was previously in orbit as the Expedition 13 flight engineer and science officer aboard the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on September 28, 2006.[6]
During his six-month stint at the International Space Station in 2006, Williams orbited the Earth more than 2,800 times. During Expedition 13, he worked on hundreds of experiments, walked in space twice, and captured more photographs of the Earth than any other astronaut in history. Many of his photos are found in his book The Work of His Hands: A View of God's Creation from Space, where he shares personal narrative and vivid photos of the Earth.
On August 24, 2006, a taped message made by him to be played at an official NASA press conference was accidentally played over the air-to-ground loop,[7] the tape revealing that the Crew Exploration Vehicle under development to replace the Space Shuttle after 2010 would be named Orion after the famed wintertime constellation.
Expedition 21/22
Williams also served as a flight engineer for Expedition 21 and assumed command of Expedition 22 in November 2009[8] having arrived on the International Space Station with his crew mates via Soyuz TMA-16 which launched on September 30, 2009.[9] Williams with Expedition 22 Flight Engineer Maksim Surayev landed their Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft on the steppes of Kazakhstan on March 18, 2010, wrapping up a 167-day stay aboard the Space Station.
First live tweetup from space
Williams at work in the Destiny laboratory
On October 21, 2009, Williams and his Expedition 21 crewmate, Nicole Stott, participated in the first NASA Tweetup from the station with members of the public gathered at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.[10] This involved the first liveTwitter connection for the astronauts.[11] Previously, astronauts on board the Space Shuttle or ISS have sent the messages they desire to send as tweets down to Mission Control which then posted the message via the Internet to Twitter.[12]
Expedition 47/48
Williams with crew mates Tim Peake and Tim Kopra at the entrance to the BEAM
Williams returned to space station in 2016[13] as part of Expedition 47/48.[14] Upon the departure of Soyuz TMA-19M he became commander of Expedition 48.[15] Williams was returned to Earth safely on 6 September 2016.
On Expedition 47, Williams surpassed Scott Kelly's record of 520 cumulative days in space which was set when he returned from space on March 1, 2016; Williams beat this record with 534 cumulative days.[16]
Personal life
Williams is a committed Christian.[17] Following his return from the Expedition 21 mission, he wrote the book The Work of His Hands: A View Of God's Creation From Space about his experience in space. The book reflects in Williams words the "vivid lessons about the meticulous goodness of divine providence, God's care for His creation, and His wisdom in ordering the universe".[18]
He is married to Anne-Marie Williams.[19]
^Williams, Jeffrey (June 1, 2010). The Work of His Hands: A View Of God's Creation From Space. Concordia Publishing House. p. back cover. ISBN978-0758615893.
