Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 21: Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, whose planned 10-day space mission extended into a remarkable nine-and-a-half-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has retired from NASA after an illustrious 27-year career. NASA announced her retirement on Tuesday, which officially came into effect on December 27, 2025, shortly after Christmas.
Paying rich tributes, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman hailed Williams as a trailblazer in human spaceflight. “Suni Williams has been a pioneer, shaping the future of exploration through her leadership aboard the space station and paving the way for commercial missions to low Earth orbit. Her contributions have laid the foundation for Artemis missions to the Moon and future journeys to Mars,” he said, adding that her achievements would continue to inspire generations.
Selected by NASA in 1998, Williams has logged an extraordinary 608 days in space over three missions — the second-highest cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut. She also ranks sixth among Americans for the longest single spaceflight, tied with astronaut Butch Wilmore, with both completing 286 days during NASA’s Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions.
Williams has carried out nine spacewalks, spending a total of 62 hours and six minutes outside the station — the most by any female astronaut and fourth on NASA’s all-time list. She also etched her name in history as the first person to run a marathon in space.
Her first spaceflight came on December 9, 2006, aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-116). Serving as a flight engineer during Expeditions 14 and 15, she set a then-world record with four spacewalks totalling 29 hours and 17 minutes.
Her second mission followed in July 2012, when she launched from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome for a 127-day stay as part of Expeditions 32 and 33. During this mission, Williams performed three critical spacewalks to repair an ammonia leak and replace a power system component on the ISS.
The third and longest mission began in June 2024, when Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for NASA’s Crew Flight Test mission. The duo later joined Expeditions 71 and 72, eventually returning to Earth in March 2025 after an extended stay in orbit.
Born in Euclid, Ohio, Williams considers Needham, Massachusetts, her hometown. Her father, a neuroanatomist, hailed from Jhulasan village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district before migrating to the United States, where he married Bonnie Pandya, a Slovenian. Off duty, Williams and her husband Michael enjoy spending time with their dogs, working out, and pursuing interests such as hiking, camping, aviation and home projects.
Reflecting on her journey, Williams said space would always hold a special place in her heart. “Anyone who knows me knows that space is my absolute favourite place to be. It’s been an incredible honour to serve in the Astronaut Office and fly in space three times. The International Space Station, the people, the engineering and the science are truly awe-inspiring,” she was quoted as saying by NASA.
As NASA prepares for its next bold steps toward the Moon and Mars, Sunita Williams bows out, leaving behind a legacy that bridges inspiration, endurance and scientific excellence.