Exceptional CV of astronaut Sunita Williams: From naval aviator to spacewalk record

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has been stranded in space for more than nine months and is scheduled to return to Earth in mid-March. She and Butch Wilmore have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024.

After a replacement crew arrived on the space station Saturday night, veteran astronauts Wilmore and Williams and two other astronauts are poised to undock from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET (0505 GMT) Tuesday to begin a 17-hour trip back to Earth.

Wilmore and Williams were the first crew to fly Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in a key test flight in June. But after issues with the craft's propulsion system, NASA deemed it too risky to bring the astronaut duo back home and opted to fold them into the agency's Crew-9 mission instead while Starliner returned to Earth empty in September.

NASA and SpaceX officials conducted a weather assessment on Sunday, concluding that optimal splashdown conditions are expected for 5:57 PM ET (9:57 pm GMT, 3:27 am IST) on March 18. The initial return plan was set for Wednesday, but advancing the schedule ensures safer landing conditions for the crew.

Track all latest updates here: Sunita Williams' Return Live

Williams has amassed 608 days in space, placing her as the second-most experienced NASA astronaut, just behind Peggy Whitson’s 675 days. Her most iconic achievement lies in her spacewalking record: she holds the title for the longest cumulative spacewalking time by a woman, with 62 hours and 6 minutes.

Who is Sunita Williams?

She is an Indian-American NASA astronaut born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, to Dr. Deepak Pandya and Bonnie Pandya. As the second American astronaut of Indian heritage to travel to space—following Kalpana Chawla, who tragically died in the Columbia disaster—Williams has carved out an extraordinary legacy. She is Married to Michael J. Williams, a Federal Marshal in Texas.

Let's take a look at her journey:

Education:

- 1983 - Graduated from Needham High School, Needham, Massachusetts

- 1987 - Bachelor of Science in Physical Science, US Naval Academy

- 1995 - Master of Science in Engineering Management, Florida Institute of Technology

Naval Career:

- 1983 - Enrolled at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland

- 1987 - Commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy

- 1989 - Earned her wings as a Naval Aviator

- 1992 - Led Hurricane Andrew Relief Operations in Miami

- 1993 - Graduated from US Naval Test Pilot School

- 1995 - Returned to the Test Pilot School as an Instructor

- 2000 - Selected for the astronaut program while deployed on the assault ship USS Saipan

NASA Career and Space Missions:

- 1998 - Selected by NASA as an astronaut in June and began astronaut candidate training in August

- 2002 - Served as a NEEMO2 crew member, living underwater for 9 days in the Aquarius habitat

- 2006-2007 - Completed her first space mission on Expedition 14, logging 195 days in space and four spacewalks; later became Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office

- 2012 - Served as Flight Engineer for Expedition 32 and Commander for Expedition 33, her second mission, spending 127 days in space and conducting three additional spacewalks

- June 2024 - Launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner for its first crewed flight, embarking on her third mission

- March 2025 - Scheduled to return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon

Williams have spent a total of 608 days in space across three missions, making her the second-most experienced NASA astronaut after Peggy Whitson, who holds the record for 675 days.

She also holds the record for the longest cumulative spacewalking time by a woman, with 62 hours and 6 minutes.