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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JUNE 21, 2024 | The Indian Eye 30

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

SUNITA WILLIAMS ASHOK ELLUSWAMY

Astronaut creates history as first Engineer is the brain behind

woman to pilot a new spacecraft Tesla’s autopilot technology

ndian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams flew to space for the third time shok Elluswamy, an Indian-origin engineer, has played a pivotal role in
along with Butch Wilmore. Both the NASA astronauts create history as developing Tesla’s Autopilot technology. He was the first engineer hired
Ithe first members aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Afor Tesla’s Autopilot team, and his contributions have been praised by
Space Station. Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission carrying Williams, and Butch Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Wilmore lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida after Ashok Elluswamy is a robotics engineer with extensive experience in com-
multiple delays. Williams, 58, is the pilot for the flight test while Wilmore, 61, is puter vision, perception, and planning and control. He completed his Bach-
the commander of the mission. Williams also made history as the first woman elor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from the College of
to embark on such a mission. And it won’t be her first entry in the history books. Engineering, Guindy in Chennai, India, and later earned a Master of Science
A former record holder for most spacewalks by a woman (seven) and in Robotic Systems Development from Carnegie Mellon University.
most spacewalk time for a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes), Williams was as- Before joining Tesla, he worked as a Software Engineer at WABCO Ve-
signed to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and hicle Control Systems and as a research intern at the Volkswagen Electronic
Expedition 15. In 2012, she served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and Research Lab.
then commander of Expedition 33. That came after she ran the Boston Mar-
athon from the space station in 2007. Ashok joined Tesla in June 2014 and quickly advanced to a senior
Williams received her commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy
from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987. Williams was selected software engineer position within 2.5 years. In May 2019, he was
as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions, Ex- promoted to the role of Director of Tesla Autopilot Software, a
peditions 14/15 in 2006 and 32/33 and 2012.
Williams is a native of Needham, Massachusetts, and was born in Eu- position he holds to this day.
clid, Ohio, to Indian-American neuroanatomist from Mumbai, Deepak Pan-
dya, and Slovene-American Bonnie Pandya. Williams’ paternal family is from His expertise has been crucial in shaping Tesla’s groundbreaking work in
Jhulasan in the Mehsana district in Gujarat, India. Williams graduated from autonomous driving technology.
Needham High School in 1983. She received a Bachelor of Science degree Elon Musk recently expressed his gratitude to Ashok Elluswamy, ac-
in physical science from the United States Naval Academy in 1987, and a knowledging him as the first person to join the Tesla Autopilot team. Musk
Master of Science degree in engineering management from Florida Institute credited Ashok and the entire AI/Autopilot team for their work, emphasizing
of Technology in 1995. that without them, Tesla would merely be another car company seeking an
Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission has been delayed for several years autonomous supplier that doesn’t exist.
because of setbacks in the spacecraft’s development. Last-minute computer Ashok Elluswamy’s journey exemplifies the impact of talented engineers
trouble nixed Saturday’s launch attempt for Boeing’s first astronaut flight, the in shaping the future of automotive technology.
latest in a string of delays over the years. Continued on next page... >>

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