NEW DELHI — Sunita Williams, one of the most accomplished astronauts in the history of human spaceflight, has retired from NASA after a distinguished 27-year career that included three missions and a cumulative 608 days in space, the US space agency said.
According to NASA, Williams’ retirement took effect on December 27, 2025, following the conclusion of an unexpected nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station that capped a career marked by endurance, leadership, and scientific achievement.
“Suni Williams has been a trailblazer in human spaceflight, shaping the future of exploration through her leadership aboard the space station and paving the way for commercial missions to low Earth orbit,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said while announcing her retirement.
“Her work advancing science and technology has laid the foundation for Artemis missions to the Moon and advancing toward Mars, and her extraordinary achievements will continue to inspire generations to dream big and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, and thank you for your service to NASA and our nation.”
Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio, and considers Needham, Massachusetts, her hometown. Her father, a neuroanatomist, was born in Jhulasan in Gujarat’s Mehsana district before migrating to the United States, where he married Bonnie Pandya, who is of Slovenian origin. Outside of her professional life, Williams and her husband, Michael, share interests that include fitness, home renovation, working on cars and aircraft, caring for their dogs, and outdoor activities such as hiking and camping.
Her spaceflight career began on December 9, 2006, when she launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission and later returned on Space Shuttle Atlantis with the STS-117 crew. During Expeditions 14 and 15, she served as a flight engineer and completed a then-record four spacewalks.
In 2012, Williams launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a 127-day mission as part of Expeditions 32 and 33. She later commanded Expedition 33, becoming one of the few women to lead the ISS. During that mission, she carried out three spacewalks to repair a leaking radiator and replace a critical power distribution component.
Her third and longest mission began in June 2024, when she and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Crew Flight Test mission. Originally planned as a shorter stay, the mission extended to nine months. The pair joined Expeditions 71 and 72 and returned safely to Earth in March 2025.
Beyond her missions in orbit, Williams made significant contributions to astronaut training and operations. In 2002, she participated in NASA’s NEEMO program, spending nine days living underwater. She later served as deputy chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office and as Director of Operations in Star City, Russia. Most recently, she played a key role in developing helicopter training programs to support future Moon landings.
Williams ranks sixth among Americans for longest single spaceflight, tied with Wilmore, with both logging 286 days during NASA’s Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions. She completed nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and six minutes, the most by any female astronaut and fourth on NASA’s all-time list. She was also the first person to run a marathon in space. (Source: IANS)
