New Delhi, Jan 21: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has retired from the space agency, concluding a remarkable 27-year career during which she completed three missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and set multiple human spaceflight records.
Williams, 60, is currently visiting India and participated in an interactive session on Tuesday at the American Center. The event, titled “Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground”, highlighted her achievements as a retired NASA astronaut and US Navy captain.
During the session, Williams recounted her experiences in space, including an extended mission aboard the ISS that lasted over nine months due to technical challenges on the Boeing spacecraft.
NASA confirmed that Williams retired from the agency effective December 27, 2025. Over her career, she logged 608 days in space, ranking second among NASA astronauts in cumulative time in orbit. She completed nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and six minutes, the most by a woman, and was the first person to run a marathon in space.
Born on September 19, 1965, to a Gujarati father, Deepak Pandya, from Mehsana, and a Slovenian mother, Ursuline Bonnie Pandya, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in physical science from the United States Naval Academy and a master’s in engineering management from the Florida Institute of Technology. A retired US Navy captain, she logged over 4,000 flight hours in 40 different aircraft.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Williams for shaping the future of space exploration, advancing science and technology, and laying the groundwork for Artemis missions to the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars.
Williams’ missions included launching aboard space shuttle Discovery in 2006 (STS-116) and Atlantis (STS-117), serving as flight engineer for Expeditions 14/15, commanding Expedition 33, and most recently flying aboard Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions for Expeditions 71/72, where she again served as station commander.
Reflecting on her career, Williams said, “Space is my absolute favourite place to be… I had an amazing 27-year career at NASA, thanks to the support of my colleagues.”
Scott Tingle, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson, described her as “incredibly sharp” and “an inspiration to many,” adding that she will be greatly missed.
Williams’ legacy spans pioneering achievements in spaceflight, leadership aboard the ISS, and contributions to future exploration missions.
