Sunita Williams retires from NASA

New York, Jan 22: Veteran NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has retired from the US space agency, bringing to a close a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades in human spaceflight.
Williams, one of NASA’s most accomplished astronauts, is widely known for her record-breaking missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Over the course of her career, she spent more than 600 days in space, making her one of the astronauts with the highest cumulative time in orbit. She also holds the record for the longest spacewalking time by a woman.
Her final mission drew global attention after technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft extended her stay aboard the ISS far beyond the originally planned duration. She eventually returned safely to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule, marking the end of her active spaceflight career.
NASA officials praised Williams for her professionalism, leadership and contributions to advancing space exploration. During her tenure, she played a key role in long-duration missions, spacewalk operations and the development of future human spaceflight programmes.
Born in the United States to an Indian-origin family, Sunita Williams has been a source of inspiration for aspiring astronauts across the world, particularly in India and among the global Indian diaspora.
Her retirement marks the end of a significant chapter at NASA, even as her achievements continue to inspire future generations in science and space exploration.