Sunita Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suni Williams
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Williams in 2018
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| Born |
Sunita Lyn Pandya
September 19, 1965 Euclid, Ohio, U.S.
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| Other names | Sonika, Sončka, Sunita Pandya Williams |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | ISS Commander (twice), Captain, USN |
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Time in space
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608 days, 19 minutes |
| Selection | NASA Group 17 (1998) |
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Total EVAs
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9 |
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Total EVA time
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62 hours, 6 minutes |
| Missions |
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Mission insignia
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Sunita Lyn "Suni" Williams (born September 19, 1965) is an American astronaut and a retired U.S. Navy officer. She has spent a lot of time on the International Space Station (ISS). Suni was a flight engineer for Expedition 15 and Expedition 32. She also commanded Expedition 33 and Expedition 72.
As part of NASA's Commercial Crew program, she made history. In 2024, she became the first woman to fly on a test flight of an orbital spacecraft. This was the Boeing Crew Flight Test. Her stay on the ISS was much longer than planned. Technical problems kept her there for over nine months. Suni Williams is one of the most experienced spacewalkers. She has done nine spacewalks, which is the second most by a woman. Her total spacewalk time is over 62 hours, the most by a woman.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sunita Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio. She grew up in Needham, Massachusetts. Her father, Deepak Pandya, was an Indian-American brain scientist. Her mother, Ursuline Bonnie Pandya, was Slovene American. Suni is the youngest of three children. Her family has roots in India and Slovenia. She has even taken the Slovenian flag and special foods to space.
Suni graduated from Needham High School in 1983. She earned a degree in physical science from the United States Naval Academy in 1987. Later, in 1995, she got a master's degree in engineering management from Florida Institute of Technology.
Military Career
Williams joined the U.S. Navy in 1987. She became a Naval Aviator (pilot) in 1989. She flew helicopters, including the H-46 Sea Knight. She helped with disaster relief after Hurricane Andrew in Florida.
Later, she trained at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. She became an instructor there, flying many different types of aircraft. She logged over 3,000 flight hours in more than 30 aircraft. In 1998, while serving on the ship USS Saipan, she was chosen by NASA to become an astronaut. She retired from the Navy in 2017.
Astronaut Career at NASA
Williams started her astronaut training at the Johnson Space Center in August 1998.
First Space Mission: STS-116
Suni Williams launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on December 9, 2006. She flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery with mission STS-116. She joined the Expedition 14 crew. In April 2007, she became part of Expedition 15.
During this mission, she made history. She donated her ponytail to Locks of Love. Another astronaut cut her hair on the ISS, and it was sent back to Earth. Suni performed her first extra-vehicular activity (spacewalk) on the eighth day of the mission. She completed three spacewalks in early 2007 with Michael López-Alegría.
_and_Sunita_Williams_(Expedition_14)_on_the_International_Space_Station.jpg)
On one spacewalk, a camera floated away. On her third spacewalk, she spent 6 hours and 40 minutes outside the station. By 2007, she had spent over 29 hours on four spacewalks. This set a new record for the most spacewalk time by a woman at that time.
Williams returned to Earth on June 22, 2007, with the STS-117 mission aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. She had spent 192 days in space. This was the longest single spaceflight by a woman at that time.
Running a Marathon in Space
On April 16, 2007, Suni Williams ran the first marathon ever completed in space. She was listed as an official participant in the 2007 Boston Marathon. She finished the 26.2-mile distance in 4 hours and 24 minutes. Her fellow crew members cheered her on. Her sister and another astronaut ran the same marathon on Earth. Suni received updates on their progress from Mission Control.
Expeditions 32 and 33
Williams launched again on July 15, 2012, as part of Expedition 32/33. She traveled on the Russian spacecraft Soyuz TMA-05M. It docked with the ISS on July 17, 2012, for a four-month stay. She was joined by Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.
On September 17, 2012, Williams became the commander of the ISS for Expedition 33. She was only the second woman to achieve this. In September 2012, she also became the first person to complete a triathlon in space. She used the ISS's treadmill and stationary bike. For the swimming part, she used a special exercise device to simulate swimming in microgravity. She completed a half-mile "swim," an 18-mile "bike ride," and a 4-mile "run."
She returned to Earth on November 19, 2012.
Commercial Crew Program and Extended Stay
In July 2015, NASA chose Williams as one of the first astronauts for U.S. commercial spaceflights. She trained with Boeing and SpaceX for their new spacecraft. In June 2022, she was assigned to the Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission.
On June 5, 2024, Williams launched on the Starliner spacecraft. This made her the first woman to fly on a test flight of an orbital spacecraft. The mission was supposed to last eight days. However, technical problems with the Starliner caused her and crewmate Butch Wilmore to stay on the ISS for over nine months. They returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, aboard SpaceX Crew-9. Before this mission, Williams was not among the top 50 astronauts for time in space. By the time she returned, she was among the top 12.
In September 2024, Williams took command of the ISS for the second time. She handed over command on March 7, 2025.
Spacewalks Record
As of 2025, Sunita Williams has completed nine spacewalks. Her total spacewalk time is 62 hours and 6 minutes. This is a record for a woman and ranks her fourth overall among all spacewalkers.
Personal Life
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Suni Williams is married to Michael J. Williams. They both flew helicopters early in their careers. They live in Texas. She had a pet Jack Russell terrier named Gorby.
Williams practices Hinduism. She has taken a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and an Om symbol to the International Space Station. She has visited her ancestral village in India and met the Prime Minister of India.
She has also visited Slovenia many times. In 2013, the former President of Slovenia awarded her a medal. This was for her work in making science and technology popular among young people in Slovenia.
In 2017, a new elementary school in Needham, Massachusetts was named after her.
Honors and Awards
Sunita Williams has received many awards for her service and achievements:
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- NASA Spaceflight Medal
- Padma Bhushan, from the Government of India (2008)
- Honorary Doctorate, Gujarat Technological University (2013)
- Golden Order for Merits, from the Government of Slovenia (2013)
- Included on the BBC's 100 Women list (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Sunita Williams para niños
- List of Asian American astronauts
- List of women astronauts
