NASA Astronaut Suni Williams Retires After Extended Stay on Space Station
WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams retired from the agency effective Dec. 31, after a career spanning more than 27 years, officials announced Tuesday. Williams, 60, returned to Earth in March following an extended mission on the International Space Station.
Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore launched to the space station in June 2024 aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule for what officials planned as a one-week test flight. Technical issues with the capsule's thrusters and other systems stranded the pair on the station for more than nine months, according to NASA statements. They returned via a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, praised Williams in a statement. "Suni is a trailblazer in human spaceflight," Isaacman said. "Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement."
Williams accumulated 608 days in space across three missions to the station, NASA records show. She holds the women's record for spacewalk time, logging 62 hours over nine extravehicular activities, according to agency data. A former U.S. Navy captain, Williams joined NASA in 1998.
Wilmore, Williams' crewmate on the Starliner mission, left NASA in summer 2025, officials said. The Starliner Crew Flight Test marked the capsule's first crewed launch, part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
Boeing plans an uncrewed Starliner mission to carry cargo to the space station later in 2026, NASA officials stated. The flight aims to resolve thruster and other issues before the capsule receives certification for human flights, according to agency announcements.
The extended stay stemmed from problems detected after Starliner's arrival at the station, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions in the service module, Boeing engineers reported. NASA decided against using Starliner for the return, opting instead for SpaceX's Crew Dragon as a contingency, officials explained.
Williams' prior missions included Expeditions 32 and 33 in 2012, and Expeditions 48 and 49 in 2015-2016, NASA biographies indicate. Her total space time ranks among the highest for U.S. astronauts, agency records confirm.
The Starliner program has faced delays since its inception under NASA's push for commercial alternatives to SpaceX's Crew Dragon, which has operated crewed flights since 2020, according to program documents. Boeing's capsule completed an uncrewed test flight in 2022 after earlier setbacks, officials noted.
Isaacman, a private astronaut and former Polaris Dawn mission commander, assumed NASA's top role in a recent administration change, according to federal announcements. His statement highlighted Williams' contributions to space exploration.
Williams splashed down off the Florida coast on March 18 aboard the Crew Dragon with other crew members, including NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov, NASA photos and mission logs show. She participated in a post-return interview at Johnson Space Center on March 31, officials said.
The retirement announcement came about 10 months after her return, marking a swift end to her active NASA tenure, according to timeline calculations from agency sources. Williams did not specify reasons for retiring in public statements.
Boeing continues work on Starliner certification amid NASA's broader plans for the International Space Station, which partners plan to transition to commercial stations by 2030, agency strategies outline. The station involves collaboration with Russia and other international partners, officials said.
Williams' spacewalk record includes tasks such as maintenance and upgrades during her missions, NASA mission reports detail. Her nine EVAs surpass previous records for female astronauts, according to space agency compilations.
The Starliner issues echo challenges in NASA's commercial crew efforts, which aim to provide redundancy in U.S. access to space, program managers have stated. SpaceX has conducted multiple crew rotations since certifying its Dragon capsule, records show.
Officials expect the 2026 cargo mission to validate fixes, potentially paving the way for crewed Starliner flights, Boeing representatives said in updates. NASA has not set a timeline for certification beyond the test, according to recent briefings.
Williams' career began after her Navy service, where she flew helicopters and served as a test pilot, her NASA biography states. She hails from Needham, Mass., though the agency lists her as from Euclid, Ohio, according to reports.
The announcement drew attention to the human elements of spaceflight risks, as extended missions can involve physical and psychological strains, medical studies from NASA indicate. Williams and Wilmore conducted science experiments and maintenance during their prolonged stay, mission logs confirm.
NASA plans to continue astronaut recruitment and training for future missions, including Artemis lunar efforts, agency officials said. The retirement reduces the active astronaut corps, which includes veterans from shuttle and station eras, rosters show.
