Home / Science / Sunitha Williams Retires After Record-Breaking Starliner Mission
Sunitha Williams Retires After Record-Breaking Starliner Mission
21 Jan
Summary
- Astronaut Suni Williams retired after a lengthy Boeing Starliner test flight.
- She logged 608 days in space, second most by a NASA astronaut.
- Williams performed nine spacewalks, accumulating 62 hours free-floating.
Longtime NASA astronaut Suni Williams announced her retirement Tuesday, marking the conclusion of her extensive career.
Her final mission aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft was an unexpectedly extended test flight, lasting over nine months due to technical issues. This journey, alongside astronaut Butch Wilmore, garnered significant international attention.
Williams, who joined NASA in 1998, has accumulated 608 days in space, ranking second among NASA astronauts for cumulative time. She also holds records for spacewalks, with nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours free-floating.
Her career achievements include being the first person to complete a triathlon in space in 2012 and the first to run a marathon in space in 2007. Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, praised Williams as a pioneering leader whose dedication will inspire future explorers.
Williams' retirement follows a pattern of astronauts stepping down after major milestones, similar to those who piloted SpaceX's Crew Dragon. Despite Starliner's technical challenges, both Williams and Wilmore expressed confidence in the spacecraft's capabilities.
