NASA astronaut and commander for Expedition 48 of the International Space Station, Jeff Williams set a record after surpassing Scott Kelly’s record (520 days) of spending the most cumulative days in space as an American.
Williams spoke with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. and students on Tuesday Aug. 30 during their chapel service.
After four spaceflights and extensive space walk experience, Williams says his career has only strengthened his faith.
“It’s one thing to be inside here, look out the window, and view the elements of God’s creation in deep space as well as the planet,” Williams said of spacewalking.
Throughout the interview Williams held a microphone and displayed the station’s handheld camera with an 800mm lens, what he uses to take pictures of the earth from the space station.
“When I look out the window and I see this, all of the elements are what you would imagine you would see with a creative work by an infinite God,” Williams said.
“You see the design, you see the beauty, you see the purpose, you see all of those elements, you see order in all the details,” he added.
Williams and his crewmates launched on a 172-day mission to the International Space Station on March 18 of this year. The current mission is Williams’ fourth spaceflight and third long-duration stay on the space station.
When he returns after his current mission on Sept. 6 he will set the record as an American in space at 534 days, according to NASA.
“There certainly is an acute awareness and appreciation of God’s creative and providential work given the literal worldview, and that awareness does energize reading and prayer,” Williams said.
