posted 01-20-2026 04:35 PM               

NASA Astronaut Suni Williams Retires

After 27 years of service, NASA astronaut Suni Williams retired from the agency, effective Dec. 27, 2025. Williams completed three missions aboard the International Space Station, setting numerous human spaceflight records throughout her career.

Above: NASA astronaut Suni Williams at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Naval Ordnance Test Unit basin in Florida on March 28, 2018. (NASA/Kim Shiflett)

"Suni Williams has been a trailblazer in human spaceflight, shaping the future of exploration through her leadership aboard the space station and paving the way for commercial missions to low Earth orbit," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "Her work advancing science and technology has laid the foundation for Artemis missions to the Moon and advancing toward Mars, and her extraordinary achievements will continue to inspire generations to dream big and push the boundaries of what's possible. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, and thank you for your service to NASA and our nation."

Williams logged 608 days in space — second on the list of cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut. She ranks sixth on the list of longest single spaceflight by an American, tied with NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, both logging 286 days during NASA's Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions. Williams also completed nine spacewalks, totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes, ranking as the most spacewalk time by a woman and fourth-most on the all-time cumulative spacewalk duration list. She also was the first person to run a marathon in space.

"Over the course of Suni's impressive career trajectory, she has been a pioneering leader," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "From her indelible contributions and achievements to the space station, to her groundbreaking test flight role during the Boeing Starliner mission, her exceptional dedication to the mission will inspire the future generations of explorers."

Williams launched for the first time aboard space shuttle Discovery with STS-116 in December 2006 and returned aboard space shuttle Atlantis with the STS-117 crew. She served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 14/15 and completed a then-record-breaking four spacewalks during the mission.

In 2012, Williams launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a 127-day mission as a member of Expedition 32/33. She also served as space station commander for Expedition 33. Williams performed three spacewalks during the mission to repair a leak on a station radiator and replace a component that gets power from the station's solar arrays to its systems.

Most recently, Williams and Wilmore launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft in June 2024 as part of NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test mission. She and Wilmore went on to join Expedition 71/72, and Williams again took command of the space station for Expedition 72. She completed two spacewalks on the mission and returned to Earth in March 2025, as part of the agency's SpaceX Crew-9 mission.

"Suni is incredibly sharp, and an all-around great friend and colleague," said Scott Tingle, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson. "She's inspired so many people, including myself and other astronauts in the corps. We're all going to miss her greatly and wish her nothing but the best."

Beyond her spaceflight experience, Williams held numerous roles throughout her NASA career. In 2002, she served as a NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environments Mission Operations) crew member, spending nine days living and working in an underwater habitat. After her first flight, she served as deputy chief of NASA's Astronaut Office. She later was the director of Operations in Star City, Russia, following her second mission to the space station. Most recently, she helped establish a helicopter training platform to prepare astronauts for future Moon landings.

The Needham, Massachusetts, native holds a bachelor's degree in physical science from the United States Naval Academy and a master's degree in engineering management from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. A retired U.S. Navy captain, Williams is an accomplished helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, having logged more than 4,000 flight hours in 40 different aircraft.

"Anyone who knows me knows that space is my absolute favorite place to be," said Williams. "It's been an incredible honor to have served in the Astronaut Office and have had the opportunity to fly in space three times. I had an amazing 27-year career at NASA, and that is mainly because of all the wonderful love and support I've received from my colleagues. The International Space Station, the people, the engineering, and the science are truly awe-inspiring and have made the next steps of exploration to the Moon and Mars possible. I hope the foundation we set has made these bold steps a little easier. I am super excited for NASA and its partner agencies as we take these next steps, and I can't wait to watch the agency make history."

posted 04-22-2026 01:58 PM               

Vast Appoints Retired NASA Astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams as Astronaut Advisor

Retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain Sunita "Suni" L. Williams has joined Vast as an Astronaut Advisor. She joins Vast's esteemed group of Astronaut Advisors led by Lead Astronaut Andrew Feustel, including Garrett Reisman, Megan McArthur, and former JAXA astronaut and Vast Japan General Manager Naoko Yamazaki.

Williams, who retired from NASA in 2025, has logged a total of 608 days in space. Williams was selected by NASA as an Astronaut in 1998, and flew on three long-duration space missions: Expeditions 14/15, 32/33, and 71/72. She has also completed 62 hours and 6 minutes of spacewalk time, the most of any female astronaut, and the fourth on NASA's all-time list. As an Astronaut Advisor at Vast, she will use her orbital experience to advise on astronaut operations, spacecraft design, and mission readiness. Her expertise will help ensure that Vast's space stations can safely support short and long-duration missions.

"It is an honor to welcome Williams to our team; she has pioneered so many achievements during her career," said Max Haot, CEO of Vast. "Her specialized knowledge will help shape the continued development of our space stations, and we look forward to her contributions."

"Williams brings a combination of operational experience and technical insight. Her depth of knowledge, shaped by years of missions, training, and leadership, allows her to offer guidance that is both practical and forward-looking," said Feustel, Lead Astronaut.

"It's been an honor to serve in my previous positions. Now I hope to help usher in the future era of commercial human spaceflight, including the next steps of exploration to the Moon and Mars, and to inspire future generations of astronauts." Williams said. "The transition to commercial space station providers is imminent and I'm confident that Vast is ready to deliver on behalf of NASA and for other space agencies around the world."

While at NASA, Williams held both technical and management positions, including work in robotics, Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office, Director of Operations in Russia, Flight Engineer for Expeditions 14, 32, and 71, and Commander of Expeditions 33 and 72. She has also received numerous military awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Navy Commendation Medal.

Her last mission was in June 2024, when she launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft for its first crewed mission to the International Space Station. After NASA's decision to return Starliner uncrewed, Williams continued serving as a member of Expeditions 71/72. She returned to Earth in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on NASA's Crew-9 mission.

Williams earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. She was commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer in 1987, and became a Naval Aviator in 1989. She then went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. She served in multiple operational, test, and leadership aviation roles, logging more than 4,000 flight hours in 40 aircraft.