Florida: Finally, Sunita Williams, an Indian-American astronaut, has made her way back to Earth following a protracted mission that initially spanned only eight days. Starting June 5, 2024, she was launched with NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore on a Boeing Starliner; her journey took a lengthy detour because of a technical problem, and she spent almost nine months at the International Space Station (ISS). It is both a testament to her strength and an empowering tale of survival.
In total, Williams tallied the most spacewalks of any female astronaut during her time in space, spending 50 hours and 40 minutes outside of the ISS. Her accomplishments have aroused pride not only in space science but also around the world.
During his stay at the ISS, Williams participated in the Expedition 71/72 missions, carrying out many important scientific projects. During her mission, she completed over 4,500 classes and travelled well over 121 million miles, NASA said. Her contributions included biomedical research, environmental studies, and technical testing — work considered essential for both scientific progress and human development.
It wasn’t Williams’ first major mission; she had previously conducted four spacewalks as part of the STS-116 mission in 2006 and spent 127 days at the ISS in 2012. Returning in 2024, she has written yet another incredible piece in the NASA narrative.