Sunita Williams retires after 27 years, 3 ISS missions and space records
Sunita Williams retires after 27 years, 3 ISS missions and space records
NASA veteran Sunita 'Suni' Williams retires after 27 years, three ISS missions, and a string of spaceflight records.
Sunita 'Suni' Williams, a veteran NASA astronaut, is retiring after 27 years with the agency, with retirement effective December 2025. Over her career she completed three missions on the International Space Station and logged 608 days in space, along with numerous spaceflight records.
Her career included space shuttle flights and a recent Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test in June 2024, a key step in NASA's Commercial Crew Programme designed to certify Starliner for routine crew transport.
Peers praised her sharp mind and leadership, noting she inspired a generation of astronauts and colleagues at NASA's Johnson Space Center as she prepared to close one of the most accomplished chapters in human spaceflight.
Williams leaves behind a legacy that highlights the role of women in space and sets the stage for future exploration, including longer missions and deeper space ambitions, from her hometown of Houston.
