NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has named her name in history with her extraordinary achievements in space exploration. After completing the nine-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS), she set several records, with a woman to become the longest spacewalk and the second longest serving female astronaut in the cumulative space period.
While he is celebrated worldwide for his contribution to space missions, some people know that Williams initially deserves a completely different career. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, which was ready for animals and the field of medicine. However, his brother’s journey to the Naval Academy of Navy Academy and coming in contact with the world of military aviation changed forever. This change eventually inspired him to the US Navy, then made a remarkable career in NASA, where she became one of the most skillful astronauts of her time.
NASA was not the plan, Sunita Williams dreamed of this career as a child
From an early age, Sunita Williams demonstrated a strong interest in science. However, its attraction is in the medical field, especially veterinary science. He imagined the future care for animals and working in the field of medicine.
When she went to meet her brother Jai at the United States Naval Academy, the aspirations of her career changed. The structures of military training fascinated him, and the impact of the popular film Top Gun further promoted her curiosity about aviation. This important moment inspired Williams to reconsider his career choice, inspiring them to find out the possibilities of flying and military service.
Sunita Williams’ naval visit: helicopter pilot to space explorer
Determined to carve a path in aviation, Williams joined the US Navy and started their training in the Navy Aviation Training Command. Although she was initially hoping to become a fighter pilot, she instead trained as a naval aviator.
His Naval Career officially began in 1989 when he was assigned to helicopter Combat Support Squadron 8 in Norfolk, Virginia. He played an important role in several military operations, including the Operation Desert Shield and deployment in the Gulf of the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and Persia during the operation.
During these missions, he gained widespread experience in piloting helicopters for transport operations, providing humanitarian aid and assisting soldiers in important areas. His ability to perform under acute pressure and its leadership properties was quickly clear to establish the foundation for his future role as an astronaut.
Sunita Williams join NASA and First Space Mission
In 1998, Williams was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA. After rigorous training, he was assigned to his first space mission to ride in search of space shuttle in 2006. The mission marked the beginning of its long association with the International Space Station.
During this campaign, Williams spent 195 days in space, contributed significantly to scientific research and station maintenance. He made headlines to become the first person to run a marathon in space, completed Boston Marathon on the treadmill riding in ISS in 4 hours and 24 minutes.
ISS and record-breaking spacewalk commanding
His second mission came in 2012 when he was selected as a crew member for the ISS Expedition 32/33. During this mission, Williams made history by becoming only the second woman to command ISS.
She participated in the operation of the important space station and operated the spacewalk, one of which became famous for an image, where she appeared to “touch” the Sun. Additionally, he completed a full triathlon in the classroom, strengthening his commitment to both space exploration and physical fitness.
Sunita Williams set a new spacewalk record during extended ISS mission
In June 2023, Williams began his third space mission with astronaut Buch Wilmor riding in the Boeing Starlineer spacecraft. The mission, initially planned for more than a week, was expanded for 286 days due to issues of propulsion with the spacecraft, which was about to bring them back to Earth.
Despite the unexpected delays, Williams and his crew conducted 900 -hour scientific research, participated in the repair of the space station, and managed the arrival and departure of eight space vehicles in the ISS.
One of the largest milestones of this mission was to set a new record for the most spacewalking time by a woman. He logged in to 62 hours and 9 minutes of additional-verbral activity (Eva), who crossed the 60-hour and 21 minute previous records organized by former astronaut Pegi Whitson.
