After an illustrious 27-year career, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has officially retired from active service, marking the end of a remarkable journey that included three space missions and 608 days spent in space. NASA confirmed on Tuesday that her retirement took effect shortly after Christmas, on December 27, 2025. Reported by Aastha Ahuja from NDTV.
Williams’ final mission, originally planned to last just 10 days, extended into a historic nine-and-a-half-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), further cementing her legacy as one of the most accomplished astronauts in NASA’s history.
Announcing her retirement, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised her contributions to space exploration.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
608 Days in Space
Selected by NASA in 1998, Williams went on to accumulate 608 cumulative days in space across three missions — the second-highest total time in space logged by any NASA astronaut. She also ranks sixth among American astronautsfor the longest single spaceflight, tied with Butch Wilmore, with both recording 286 days during NASA’s Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions.
Williams completed nine spacewalks, totalling 62 hours and 6 minutes, making her the most experienced female spacewalker and placing her fourth on NASA’s all-time spacewalk list. She also made history as the first person to run a marathon in space.
Three Space Missions Over 27 Years
Williams’ first journey to space began on December 9, 2006, when she launched aboard space shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-116 mission. Serving as a flight engineer during Expedition 14/15, she set a then-world record by completing four spacewalks totalling 29 hours and 17 minutes.
Her second mission followed six years later. On July 14, 2012, Williams launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a 127-day mission as a member of Expedition 32/33. During this mission, she conducted three spacewalks to repair a critical ammonia leak on the station’s radiator and to replace a key component that distributes power from the ISS’s solar arrays.
Her third and longest mission began in June 2024, when Williams and Wilmore launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The pair joined Expedition 71/72 and ultimately returned to Earth in March 2025, concluding one of the most extended missions of her career.
Indian Roots and Personal Life
Sunita Williams traces her roots to India, with her father being a neuroanatomist born in Jhulasan village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. He later moved to the United States, where he married Bonnie Pandya, a Slovenian.
Born in Euclid, Ohio, Williams considers Needham, Massachusetts her hometown. Outside her professional life, she and her husband Michael enjoy spending time with their dogs, working out, renovating houses, working on cars and aeroplanes, as well as hiking and camping.
“Space, an Absolute Favourite Place to Be”
Reflecting on her career, Williams expressed deep gratitude and affection for her time in space.
“Anyone who knows me knows that space is my absolute favourite place to be,” said Williams.
“It's been an incredible honour to have served in the Astronaut Office and have had the opportunity to fly in space three times. I had an amazing 27-year career at NASA, and that is mainly because of all the wonderful love and support I've received from my colleagues.
The International Space Station, the people, the engineering, and the science are truly awe-inspiring and have made the next steps of exploration to the Moon and Mars possible. I hope the foundation we set has made these bold steps a little easier. I am super excited for NASA and its partner agencies as we take these next steps, and I can't wait to watch the agency make history.”
With her retirement, Sunita Williams leaves behind a legacy defined by endurance, leadership, and inspiration — one that continues to motivate future generations to look toward the stars.
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