Sunita Lyn Williams, born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, is an American astronaut of Indian-Slovenian descent who has made significant contributions to space exploration. She was raised in Needham, Massachusetts, by her father, Deepak Pandya, an Indian-American neuroanatomist from Gujarat, India, and her mother, Ursuline Bonnie Pandya, a Slovene-American. The youngest of three siblings, Williams grew up with a strong connection to her diverse heritage, which later influenced her personal and professional life.
Williams’ journey began with a solid educational foundation. She graduated from Needham High School in 1983 and went on to attend the United States Naval Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Science in 1987. Her passion for aviation led her to become a naval aviator in 1989, after completing rigorous training. She flew helicopters, including the SH-60 Seahawk, during critical missions such as the Persian Gulf War preparations, the establishment of no-fly zones over Kurdish regions of Iraq, and relief efforts following Hurricane Andrew in Miami in 1992. She later trained as a naval test pilot, logging over 3,000 flight hours across more than 30 aircraft types. In 1995, she earned a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology, further enhancing her technical expertise.
In 1998, Williams was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate, marking a pivotal shift in her career. She began training at the Johnson Space Center, mastering shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) systems, robotics, and survival techniques. Her first space mission launched on December 9, 2006, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-116). Joining Expedition 14 as a flight engineer, she later transitioned to Expedition 15, spending over 195 days in space. During this mission, she completed four spacewalks, totaling more than 29 hours outside the spacecraft—setting records for women at the time. Notably, on April 16, 2007, she became the first person to run a marathon in space, completing the Boston Marathon on the ISS treadmill.
Her second spaceflight began on July 15, 2012, aboard a Soyuz spacecraft as part of Expedition 32. She served as a flight engineer and later became the commander of Expedition 33, making her the second woman to command the ISS. During this 127-day mission, she conducted three additional spacewalks, bringing her total to seven and accumulating over 50 hours of spacewalk time, a record for a woman until surpassed by Peggy Whitson in 2017. Williams also completed the first triathlon in space, using exercise equipment to simulate swimming, biking, and running. Her two missions combined amounted to more than 322 days in space.
Williams’ third space mission launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for its first crewed flight, the Crew Flight Test. As the pilot, alongside commander Butch Wilmore, she aimed to certify the spacecraft for regular ISS missions. However, technical issues with Starliner, including helium leaks and thruster problems, extended their stay on the ISS from an intended eight days to over nine months. She took command of the ISS for the second time in September 2024 and handed it over to Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin on March 7, 2025. Williams returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with the Crew-9 mission, having logged over 608 days in space across her career. Her nine spacewalks, totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes, rank her fourth overall and first among women for spacewalk time.
Beyond her technical achievements, Williams is known for her resilience and unique personality. Married to Michael J. Williams, a federal marshal and former helicopter pilot, for over 20 years, she shares a home with him in Houston, Texas. The couple, who met at the Naval Academy, have no children but cherished their Jack Russell terrier, Gorby, featured on *Dog Whisperer* in 2010. Williams practices Hinduism, taking sacred texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads to space, and has expressed a desire to adopt a girl from Ahmedabad, India. Her love for spicy food once led to a humorous incident with a “spicy geyser” of wasabi in microgravity.
Williams’ career is decorated with accolades, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Navy Commendation Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and India’s Padma Bhushan. A retired U.S. Navy captain, she has inspired generations with her perseverance, breaking gender barriers and advancing scientific discovery. Her legacy as a trailblazing astronaut continues to resonate worldwide.