Sunita Williams: A Pioneer in Space Exploration

Sulagna Saha

Imagine being stranded in space for nine months, far away from home, with no clear date for when you would return! Well, this was the reality for Sunita Williams, an Indian-American astronaut and U.S. Navy veteran. Born on September 19, 1965, Sunita became the second American astronaut of Indian heritage to travel to space. Known for her courage, adaptability, and record-breaking spacewalks, Sunita has been a pioneer for women in space, making history multiple times across her three space missions. Throughout her career, she has also stayed connected to her cultural background, practicing Hinduism and carrying sacred items like the Bhagavad Gita and an Om symbol to the International Space Station (ISS). During her time in space, Sunita has spent more than 600 days in orbit. However, her journey to becoming one of NASA’s most experienced astronauts began long before liftoff.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987, she began her career in the Navy, training as a helicopter pilot. She flew many critical missions around the world, such as delivering supplies during the Gulf War and leading a helicopter team to provide emergency relief in Florida after Hurricane Andrew. After years of hard work and dedication, Sunita’s talents were recognized by NASA in 1998. She was selected for the astronaut program, opening the door to her journey into space.

After joining NASA, Sunita began her intense space training. In December 2006, she launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery for her first mission to the ISS as part of Expedition 14/15. During this mission, she served as a Flight Engineer and spent over six months helping continue the assembly of the ISS. She also completed four spacewalks, spending a total of 29 hours outside the station, which set a record for the most spacewalk time by a woman at the time. Additionally, while orbiting 250 miles above Earth, she completed the 42.2 kilometre Boston Marathon on the ISS treadmill, with her fellow astronauts cheering her on. Her sister and another astronaut ran the marathon from Earth, and Mission Control kept Williams updated on their progress, creating a unique moment of connection between space and Earth.

In 2012, Sunita returned to space for a second mission as part of Expedition 32/33, where she became the first woman to serve as a Commander on the ISS. Over the course of the mission, she completed three more spacewalks and also completed the first-ever triathlon in space. Using the station’s treadmill, stationary bike, and resistance training devices, Sunita simulated running, biking and swimming in zero gravity, all in under 2 hours! While Sunita had these great successes in her first two missions, her latest journey in 2024 challenged her in ways no one had anticipated.

After joining NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Sunita worked with private companies such as Boeing and SpaceX to develop the next generation of spacecraft. In 2024, she launched into her third mission, where she became the first woman to pilot Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Along with Butch Wilmore as commander, the two astronauts launched aboard Starliner on June 5, 2024, for its crewed test flight, which was scheduled to last one week. However, just hours into the flight, the Starliner encountered multiple technical problems. While engineers worked to fix the issue remotely, NASA ultimately deemed the Starliner too risky for human travel. With no choice but to return the spacecraft to Earth empty, Sunita and Butch were left stranded on the ISS, with no indication of when they would return.

Despite this unexpected turn of events, NASA was in no rush to bring the astronauts back, as Sunita and Butch were not in immediate danger. They were safe aboard the ISS which was fully equipped with everything needed for life in space, including regular resupply missions of food, water, and oxygen, ensuring their comfort and well-being. Although an emergency return was an option, several limitations made it more practical for NASA to wait for a properly equipped return mission that could fully accommodate Sunita and Butch. While Sunita initially described the whole situation as “a little bit of a shock”, she quickly adapted to the new circumstances, continuing to conduct research and take part in more spacewalks. By the end of one of her spacewalks, Sunita had officially accumulated a total of 62 hours and 6 minutes outside the ISS across all three missions, which was more than any woman in NASA history.

After two months into their extended mission, NASA finally announced that Sunita and Butch would return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of Crew-9, which was scheduled for launch on September 29, 2024. The Crew-9 mission was expected to last until February 2025, meaning Sunita and Butch would remain aboard the ISS to assist Crew-9 with their scientific research and space exploration. Due to minor technical issues, their mission was extended by a month, but after 286 days in space, Sunita and Butch eventually returned to Earth in March 2025. By the time they returned, Sunita and Butch had orbited Earth 4,576 times and travelled 195 million kilometers. Their extended stay also brought Sunita’s total time in space to 608 days, ranking her among the top 12 astronauts for time-in-space duration.

Overall, this mission truly shows Sunita’s strength of character, as she persevered, adapted, and remained committed to her role in space exploration. Rather than passively waiting for rescue, Sunita continued to contribute to ISS operations and adjusted to an entirely new mission. Additionally, her resilience extends far beyond her time spent in space. After spending more than 9 months in orbit, she is currently recovering from the physical toll of space travel. During their return, NASA’s live stream showed Sunita and Butch being carried off the SpaceX Dragon capsule on stretchers, as they were unable to walk due to the effects of microgravity. Sunita commented, “I’ve been up here long enough- I’m trying to remember what it’s like to walk”. As Sunita recovers from the great challenges she encountered, she continues to handle it all with the same determination that carried her through every journey. From her military service to her space missions, Sunita’s experiences demonstrate her courage and determination, setting an inspiring example of how persistence can overcome even the greatest challenges.