New Delhi: Indian origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has retired after a distinguished 27 year career, bringing to a close one of the most accomplished journeys in human spaceflight. Her retirement came into effect on December 27, 2025, shortly after she returned to Earth following an extended mission aboard the International Space Station.
Williams was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998 and went on to spend a total of 608 days in space across three missions, the second highest cumulative time recorded by any NASA astronaut. She also ranks among the top American astronauts for the longest single spaceflight, having spent 286 consecutive days in orbit. Over the course of her career, she completed nine spacewalks with a combined duration of 62 hours and six minutes, the most by any female astronaut and one of the highest totals in NASA history. She also made history as the first person to run a marathon in space.
Her first spaceflight took place in December 2006 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery during Expedition 14 and 15. She returned to space in July 2012, launching from Kazakhstan for Expeditions 32 and 33, during which she also served as commander of the space station. Her final mission began in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. What was initially planned as a short mission extended to more than nine months, with Williams joining Expeditions 71 and 72 and once again taking on the role of station commander before returning to Earth in March 2025.
Throughout her career, Williams played a key role in advancing scientific research, station operations and future exploration planning. Her leadership aboard the ISS helped strengthen the foundation for upcoming lunar missions under the Artemis programme and future human exploration of Mars.
Born to a father from Gujarat’s Mehsana district who later settled in the United States, Williams has often spoken of her deep connection to space. She has described it as her favourite place to be and expressed pride in contributing to humanity’s next steps beyond Earth. As she steps away from active service, her achievements continue to inspire future generations of astronauts and scientists worldwide.
