Ready for your close-up? You’re invited — along with everyone else in town — to pose for a photo that will be sent into space. That is, to astronaut Sunita Williams, who is on a much longer than expected stay at the International Space Station.
The group photo idea came from the Select Board and town staff who wanted to organize a community effort to send well wishes to Williams from her hometown, said Amy Haelsen, director of communications and community engagement.
The photo will be taken by Needham resident Yehuda Inbar on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11:45 a.m. at the Memorial Park football field, 92 Rosemary St. Participants will hold a giant “Needham Loves Sunita” banner.
Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore crewed a test flight of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the ISS on June 5 for what was planned to be an eight-day stay. But because of technical problems, they did not fly the Starliner back home and are expected to remain at the ISS until early 2025.
Williams conducted a video conference from space in June with students at Needham’s Sunita Williams Elementary School, answering their questions about what it feels like to be in space. Little did she know that, in November, she’d still be there.
For more information about the group photo, contact Amy Haelsen, ahaelsen@needhamma.gov
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