NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retired after 27 years of outstanding service to the United States space program. During her long career, she became one of the most respected astronauts in NASA history. Williams flew to space three times, lived aboard the International Space Station for many months, and set several records. Her dedication, courage, and leadership helped advance space science and inspired people around the world to dream of exploring beyond Earth.
Why in news?
NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams retired after the 27 years long service to their space authority and left the remarkable frat in her period.
Early Career and Entry into NASA
- Suni Williams began her professional journey as a U.S. Navy officer and pilot.
- She flew helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft and gained strong technical and leadership skills.
- In 1998, she was selected as a NASA astronaut.
- Early in her career, she trained hard in science, engineering, and space operations.
- She also took part in challenging missions like underwater training, which prepared her for working in extreme environments similar to space.
Space Missions and Life on the Space Station
- Williams first traveled to space in 2006 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. She later returned to Earth on Space Shuttle Atlantis.
- In 2012, she launched again for a long mission to the International Space Station and later served as its commander.
- Her final spaceflight was in 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner. Across her missions, she lived and worked in space for more than 600 days, contributing to science and station maintenance.
Records and Historic Achievements
- Throughout her career, Suni Williams achieved many historic milestones.
- She spent 608 total days in space, ranking second among NASA astronauts. She completed nine spacewalks, totaling over 62 hours, which is the highest spacewalk time by any woman.
- She was also the first person to run a marathon in space. These achievements showed her physical strength, determination, and ability to perform demanding tasks in space.
Leadership and Contributions Beyond Spaceflight
- Beyond flying missions, Williams held important leadership roles at NASA.
- She served as deputy chief of the Astronaut Office and later worked in Russia as director of operations in Star City.
- She also helped develop helicopter training programs to prepare astronauts for future Moon landings.
- Her work supported NASA’s goals for Artemis missions and future journeys to Mars, helping shape the next era of human space exploration.
Education, Legacy, and Retirement
- Suni Williams earned a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master’s degree in engineering management.
- As a retired Navy captain and skilled pilot, she brought discipline and experience to NASA.
- After retiring in December 2025, she left behind a powerful legacy of service and inspiration.
- Her career continues to motivate young students and future astronauts to believe that with hard work, space exploration is possible.
Question
Q. What major record did Suni Williams set related to spacewalks?
a) First spacewalk ever
b) Most spacewalks by any astronaut
c) Longest single spacewalk
d) Most spacewalk time by a woman