NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has officially retired from the space agency after 27 years of distinguished service, with her retirement effective January 27. The agency announced the news this morning.
During her career, Williams flew on three missions to the International Space Station (ISS), spending a total of 608 days in space—the second-highest for any NASA astronaut. She also completed nine spacewalks, accumulating more than 62 hours, the most ever by a woman, and became the first person to run a marathon in space.
Williams, of Indian descent, made her first flight in 2006 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery and later commanded the ISS during Expedition 33. Her most recent mission, in 2024–2025, saw her aboard Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9, where she led Expedition 72.
Beyond her time in space, Williams contributed extensively to NASA on the ground, including astronaut training, operations in Russia, and preparing crews for future Moon missions. A retired U.S. Navy captain, she has amassed over 4,000 flight hours in helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
NASA lauded Williams as a trailblazer in human spaceflight, highlighting her role in inspiring future generations and advancing scientific exploration.
