By Rajni Pandey | June 26, 2024
Sunita Lyn Williams was born September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, and raised in Needham, Massachusetts. She earned a B.Sc. in Physical Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987 and an M.Sc. in Engineering Management in 1995.
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Williams was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy in 1987. She became a naval aviator in 1989 and served as a helicopter pilot, flying the SH-60 Seahawk.
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Sunita Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998. She completed her astronaut training in 1999, becoming part of NASA's elite team of space explorers.
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First Space Mission
Her first spaceflight was aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-116) in December 2006, where she flew to the International Space Station (ISS) and served as a flight engineer for Expedition 14/15.
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Spacewalk Records
Williams holds the record for the most spacewalks by a woman, with a total of seven spacewalks. She also holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalk time for a woman, with over 50 hours spent outside the ISS.
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Longest Single Spaceflight
During her first mission, Williams set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 195 days in space. This record has since been surpassed, but it was a significant milestone at the time.
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Marathon in Space
In April 2007, while aboard the ISS, Williams became the first person to run a marathon in space. She participated in the Boston Marathon, running 26.2 miles on the station's treadmill.
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Second Space Mission
Her second spaceflight was aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft (Expedition 32/33) in July 2012. During this mission, she served as the commander of the ISS, making her the second woman to command the ISS.
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Total Time in Space
As of her latest missions, Sunita Williams has spent a total of 322 days in space, making her one of the most experienced astronauts.
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Commercial Crew Program
Sunita Williams embarked on her third space mission on June 6, 2024, piloting Boeing's Starliner with astronaut Butch Wilmore from Cape Canaveral to the ISS, evaluating the spacecraft's performance and manual controls.
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