Date of Birth: September 19, 1965
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Biography
Sunita Williams, born Sunita Lyn Pandya on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, is a distinguished American astronaut and United States Navy officer. As an accomplished aviator and engineer, she became one of NASA’s most renowned astronauts, known for her record-breaking space missions and contributions to space exploration. Williams graduated from Needham High School in Massachusetts in 1983 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Science from the United States Naval Academy in 1987. She later received a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1995. She was designated a Naval Aviator in 1989 and served in various roles, including as a helicopter pilot, before being selected by NASA in 1998. Sunita Williams first flew to space in December 2006 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission. She then joined the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Expedition 14 and later Expedition 15, where she set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at the time, spending 195 days in space. During this mission, she conducted four spacewalks, totaling over 29 hours. Her second spaceflight was in July 2012 with Expedition 32/33, where she served as the commander of the ISS. Over her career, Williams has accumulated more than 321 days in space, making her one of the most experienced astronauts. Throughout her career, Sunita Williams has been an advocate for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and has inspired countless individuals worldwide through her work and dedication to space exploration.
5 Interesting Facts about Sunita Williams
1. Sunita Williams holds the record for the most spacewalks by a woman, with a total of seven spacewalks.
2. She ran the first marathon by an astronaut in space, completing the Boston Marathon on the ISS treadmill in April 2007.
3. Williams is of Indian and Slovenian descent, with her father being from India and her mother from Slovenia.
4. She has logged more than 50 hours of spacewalking time, making her one of the most experienced spacewalkers.
5. Sunita Williams is also an accomplished helicopter pilot, having flown the UH-60 Sea Hawk and the SH-60B and accumulating over 3,000 flight hours.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Sunita Williams
1. “Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”
2. “The view of Earth is absolutely spectacular. It’s really amazing. I can’t find a better word to describe it.”
3. “When you’re in space, the notion of nationality really fades away. You realize that we’re all in this together, on this one planet.”
4. “Challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
5. “Exploration is not something that you choose to do, it’s something that is within you.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
The highest net worth achieved by Sunita Williams is estimated to be around $5 million.
Children
Sunita Williams does not have any children.
Relevant Links
1. [NASA Biography](https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/sunita-l-williams/biography
2. [Sunita Williams on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunita_Williams
4. [Sunita Williams: Spacewalk Queen](https://www.space.com/16691-sunita-williams.html
