NASA astronaut Sunita Williams celebrates 59th birthday aboard the ISS; explore her space milestones and achievements | – Times of India

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, one of India’s most well-known female astronauts after Kalpana Chawla, is celebrating her 59th birthday today aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Williams has been at the ISS since June 5, along with astronaut Butch Wilmore and the rest of the Expedition 71 crew. This isn’t her first birthday in space, as she also celebrated one during her second extended spaceflight on Expedition 32/33 from July 14 to November 18, 2012.

Sunita Williams’ early life

Born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, to Bonnie and Dr.Deepak Pandya, Sunita Williams has strong Indian connections through her father, who is from Gujarat, India. She has visited India several times, including her ancestral village in Jhulasan, Gujarat.
Williams graduated from Needham High School, Massachusetts, in 1983 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987. She also completed a Master of Science in Engineering Management at the Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.

Sunita Williams’ NASA involvement in combat missions and space exploration

Her career began in the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, where she enrolled in 1983 and was commissioned as an ensign in 1987. After completing combat helicopter training, she flew missions during the Persian Gulf War, enforced no-fly zones over Kurdish regions of Iraq, and assisted in Hurricane Andrew relief efforts in Miami.
In June 1998, Williams was selected as a NASA astronaut and underwent extensive training in shuttle systems, the ISS, and survival techniques. She worked with the Russian Space Agency and contributed to the Robotics branch, focusing on the ISS Robotic Arm. She also spent nine days underwater as part of NASA’s NEEMO2 mission.

Sunita Williams spaceflight achievements and current role as Starliner pilot

In 2003, Williams was selected for a long-duration mission to the ISS, where she flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery and spent six months on the station. During that time, she participated in four spacewalks as part of the ISS construction. Williams later served as Flight Engineer for Expedition 32 and Commander of Expedition 33, spending a total of 322 days in space across both missions. With 50 hours and 40 minutes of spacewalks, she ranks second among female astronauts for spacewalk time. Currently, Williams is the pilot for Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission aboard the Starliner spacecraft, marking her third mission to the ISS and the first crewed flight for the Starliner.
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