Sunita Williams is back on Earth and feeling amazing! She just finished a long nine-month mission in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Sunita was born on September 19, 1965, in Ohio, but her family’s roots are in the village of Jhulasan in Gujarat, India. Her father moved to the US from India in 1957.
Sunita holds a special record for spending the most time outside in space by a female astronaut. You might be curious about her school days and how she got here.
Early Education
She started her education at Needham High School in Massachusetts, where she graduated in 1983. After that, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Science from the US Naval Academy in 1987. Later, she got her Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.
Career Before NASA
Sunita’s career took off when she became an officer in the U.S. Navy in May 1987. Soon after, she trained as a Naval Aviator, flying helicopters and participating in missions in places like the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf.
In 1992, she helped with Hurricane Andrew recovery efforts in Florida. Then, in 1993, Sunita began training at the United States Naval Test Pilot School. After graduating in 1993, she tested helicopters and became an instructor at the school.
Joining NASA
In June 1998, Sunita was selected to be a NASA astronaut. Her training included becoming familiar with the space shuttle and the ISS as well as learning survival techniques. She worked with the Russian Space Agency and even lived underwater for nine days!
Sunita has flown several missions, including living on the ISS as a crew member and commander. On June 5, 2024, she launched into space on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and arrived at the ISS the next day. Her mission was extended because of some issues with the spacecraft. Eventually, she returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule with fellow astronauts.
Sunita Williams continues to inspire many with her incredible journey from Earth to space and back!
Information sourced from NASA.
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