After her previous two successful spaceflights, Sunita Williams was all ready to go on her third term. However, at the last moment, the mission was suspended. The much-awaited first crew test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was postponed over a technical glitch almost an hour before the launch on Monday night.
The CST-100 Starliner’s first trip carrying astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) was highly anticipated and much-delayed as Boeing crawls to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX for a greater share of rewarding NASA business.
Sunita Williams started her career as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, in May 1987. She was selected as an astronaut in 1998 by NASA, at the age of thirty-three.
Sunita William Family
Happily married for more than 20 years, Sunita Williams husband is Michael J. Williams. He is a Oregan-based federal police officer in Texas and they met in the early days of their career when they both flew helicopters. She lives in suburban Houston, Texas with her husband and a pet Jack Russell terrier named Gorby. The pet was also featuredon the National Geographic Channel TV show “Dog Whisper”.
Sunita Williams Education
Sunita Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio to an Indian-American parents. Born on 19th September, 1965, Sunita Williams age is 58. She had two siblings, Jay Thomas and Dina Anand, and was the youngest child of the house.
She graduated from Needham High School in 1983. Later in 1987, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in physical science from the United States Naval Academy. Furthermore, for her higher studies, she completed Master of Science degree in engineering management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.
Sunita Williams net worth
As per the latest estimation revealed by Idol Net worth, Sunita Williams net worth is approximately $7 million. Her approximate annual salary is $400,000.
Sunita Williams achievements
On 9th December, 2006, Sunita Williams flew abroad the space shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission to International Space Station (ISS). There, for Expeditions 14 and 15, she was a flight engineer. While staying in the space station, she took four spacewalks, totalling more than 29 hours outside the spacecraft. She spent more than 195 days in space.
Sunita Williams held this record until 2015, as the record was taken over by an Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who spent 199 days in space.
However, on 15th July, 2012, she again went to ISS. There she made three more space walks, totaling more than 21 hours, taking back her spacewalk record with a total time outside the ISS between her two flights of more than 50 hours. After spending 127 days in space, Sunita Williams returned to Earth on November 11. Her two spaceflights combined lasted more than 321 days, ranking her second, after American astronaut Peggy Whitson, for the most time spent in space by a woman.
FAQ
What is Sunita Williams famous for?
Sunita Williams is an American astronaut, who is famous for her two spaceflights to the International Space Station. She earlier held the record of the most spacewalks by a woman and most spacewalk time by a woman.
How many days did Sunita Williams spend in space?
Sunita Williams spent 127 days in the space to conduct research and exploration abroad the orbiting laboratory. After spending four months, she landed in Kazakhstan on November 18, 2012.
Where is Sunita Williams now?
Sunita Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio to Indian-American neuroanatomist Deepak Pandya and Slovene-American Ursuline Bonnie (Zalokar) Pandya. She resides in suburban Houston, Texas now.
What is the world record for Sunita Williams?
Sunita Williams holds two achievements under her name – former record holder for most spacewalks by a woman (seven) and most spacewalk time for a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes). Her two spaceflight to International Space Station combined to more than 321 days.
