NASA astronaut Sunita Williams set multiple records as she returned from a nine-month space stay, becoming the woman to do the longest spacewalk and having stayed in space for the second longest cumulative duration for a NASA astronaut. However, space exploration was not her dream job as a child.
Though she had an aptitude for science since childhood, Williams dreamt of being a veterinary doctor. Her mind changed after she visited her brother Jay at the US Naval Academy. At the time, Tom Cruise-starrer Top Gun was a rage. On getting an opportunity, she joined the Naval Aviation Training Command, but did not get to fly a combat aircraft.
Instead, Williams joined the US Navy as a naval aviator in 1989, serving at Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 8 in Norfolk, Virginia. She made overseas deployments to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and the Persian Gulf in support of Desert Shield and Operation Provide Comfort. She played a key role in transporting troops and humanitarian aid, portraying leadership skills and the ability to perform under extreme conditions.
Williams joined NASA as an astronaut in 1998 and went on her first mission in 2006 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to join International Space Station (ISS) Expeditions 14 and 15 for a 195-day stint in orbit. In 2007, she became the first person to run a marathon in space, completing the Boston Marathon on a treadmill on the space station in 4 hours and 24 minutes.
Her second mission was in 2012 when she flew to the ISS for a four-month stay, becoming at this time the second woman ever to lead the ISS. During this time, she oversaw station operations, completed a triathlon in orbit, and captured a now-iconic image appearing to “touch” the Sun during a spacewalk.
Williams’ latest mission was with Butch Wilmore, which lifted off in June last year, lasting 286 days. Though it was meant to last over a week, it extended as the Boeing Starliner that was to bring them back to Earth developed propulsion issues, returning home empty. During this stay, the Crew-9 conducted over 900 hours of research, ISS repairs and saw eight space vehicles come and go from the orbital lab.
During this mission, Williams created history by setting a record of most time spent spacewalking by a woman. She holds a record of 62 hours and nine minutes of extra-vehicular activity, surpassing former astronaut Peggy Whitson’s record of 60 hours and 21 minutes.