Inspiring Story Of Sunita Williams

Back when women had been fighting for basic rights and representation in different avenues at a global level, there was an Indo-American woman on the way to making her mark in a way that would be remembered as a breakthrough moment for humans. This woman was none other than Sunita Williams. To date, she holds the record for the maximum number of spacewalks done by a female. Not only this, she spent more than 195 days in space, which is also a record for women in space!

The journey towards achieving this feat has been long yet rewarding. Originally a Navy Officer, she went on to receive training as an astronaut years before she was sent for a space expedition on December 9, 2006, by NASA, aboard the space shuttle Discovery on a mission named STS-116 to NASA’s International Space Station.

Early Childhood

Sunita was born with eyes sparkling with dreams to Deepak Pandya who was an Indo-American neuroanatomist. Her mother Ursuline Bonnie Pandya (née Zalokar) was a Slovene American woman. Sunita completed her graduation in 1983 from Needham High School, Massachusetts. She was born after her brother and sister. She is four years younger to her brother Jay Thomas and three years younger to her sister Dina Anand.

Family Background

Mary Bohinc (originally Marija Bohinjec) is the maternal great-grandmother of Sunita Williams. She immigrated to the United States with her mother, when Sunita was 11 years old.

Her paternal family is from Jhulasan in the Mehsana district of Gujarat, India. She visited Gujarat twice in 2007 and 2013. In her 2013 visit, she also addressed students from the Gujarat Technological University and received an Honorary Doctorate from there.

Every kid in her village knows who Sunita Williams is. To commemorate her space mission, an astronaut day is organised in her village back in Slovenia at the end of September. It is located under Dobrča. The inhabitants of the village affectionately call her ‘Sončka’ in Leše or one of the parts of that village.

She is married for the past 20 years to Michael J Williams, a federal police officer based in Texas, USA.

Education Details

In 1983, Sunita graduated from Needham High School, Massachusetts. She has always been inclined toward science and engineering. Thus, she went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in physical science from the United States Naval Academy in 1987.

From here, her journey toward becoming a Naval Officer began. In May 1987, Williams was made a basic diving officer during a six-month-duty at the Naval Coastal System Command. Further, in July 1989, she was given the title of Naval Aviator. She completed her initial training, where she learned to pilot helicopters.

Thereafter, she was deputed to overseas relief operations and also allotted work under USS Sylvania's relief efforts following Hurricane Andrew in September 1992.

Later on, she received a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.

Life as an Astronaut

Her journey as an astronaut started at the Johnson Space Center as an Astronaut Candidate in August 1998. She had extensive training that included a variety of technical and scientific briefings, in-depth training in a shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) systems, and physiological training. Once in space, she completed the first marathon ever completed in space on April 16, 2007.

However, this was not the first occasion Sunita Williams was in space. On July 15, 2012, she was launched through a space shuttle named Soyuz from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia as a part of Expedition 32/33. She was accompanied by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. On September 17, 2012, she was appointed as the commander of the International Space Station, being the second woman to do so. In September 2012, she became the first person to do a triathlon in space.

The Second Indian Woman to Go into Space

Determination is the key to being up there, described Sunita in an interview with a famous news channel in India. She defined her first space expedition as a ‘spectacular experience’ and ‘best space expedition.’

During her first space expedition that made her the second Indian woman to go into space, she was accompanied by mission commander Mark Polansky, mission specialists Nicholas Patrick and Joan Higginbotham, pilot Will Oefelein, lead spacewalker Bob Curbeam and European Space Agency's Christer Fuglesang. Their mission was to create a new electricity system for the ISS. She took a spacewalk with her colleague Bob and helped in rewiring the ISS space lab. She also brought the robotic arm of the space station into operation.

Her Contributions to International Space Station

Sunita Williams’ biography shows us how immensely she has contributed to the International Space Station during her vast career. After she received her education, she devoted her time and energy exclusively to space exploration and training. Her expeditions have brought invaluable additions to the ISS. For her selfless service to NASA, she gained recognition throughout the world and also received many honours and awards.

Some of them are:

● Padma Bhushan, Government of India (2008)

● Medal ‘For Merit in Space Exploration;, Government of Russia (2011)

● Honourary Doctorate, Gujarat Technological University (2013)

● Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vishwa Pratibha Award

● Navy Commendation Medal

● NASA Spaceflight Medal

● Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

● Humanitarian Service Medal

● Golden Order for Merits, Government of Slovenia (2013)

Conclusion

Sunita Williams and her journey are an inspiration for all women who see dreams. She is also an inspiration for women who stay dedicated to one goal and dedicate their lives to achieving it while shouldering family responsibilities. Since her first exploration, a lot has changed in terms of science and technology, and NASA has continued to achieve milestones. However, the genesis of all of is Sunita Williams and her work.

FAQs

What did Sunita Williams carry to space with her?

She carried a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, a packet of samosas and a figure of Lord Ganesha.

What is the most unique Sunita Williams information?

Sunita Williams is ranked among five of the most experienced spacewalkers.

What did Sunita Williams say about being isolated in space?

She felt that being alone gives one the time to contemplate and consider how one may contribute to society in a useful, active and beneficial way.

How many days did Sunita Williams spend in space?

She spent a total of 321 days, 17 hours 15 minutes in space.

Is Sunita Williams retired now?

No, she is a part of space missions of space agencies SpaceX and Boeing.