At a Glance
- Suni Williams retired from NASA on Dec. 27, 2025, after 27 years with the agency
- She and Butch Wilmore spent nine months stuck in space from June 2024 to March 2025 due to Starliner mechanical issues
- Williams holds the record for most spacewalk time by a woman at 62 hours and 6 minutes
- Why it matters: Her retirement marks the end of a career that pushed human spaceflight boundaries and inspired future explorers
NASA astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams has officially retired from the space agency, closing a 27-year career that included setting multiple human spaceflight records and surviving an unexpected nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station.
The 60-year-old Massachusetts native’s retirement became effective Dec. 27, 2025, according to a NASA press release shared Tuesday, Jan. 20. Her departure comes just months after she and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore made international headlines when mechanical problems with their Starliner spacecraft extended what was supposed to be a brief test mission into a nine-month space odyssey.
Record-Setting Career Spanning Three Decades
Williams launched into space for the first time in December 2006 aboard space shuttle Discovery, beginning a career that would see her log 608 days in space across three missions. This total places her second on the list of most cumulative time spent in space by a NASA astronaut.
Throughout her career, she established several notable achievements:
- Most spacewalk time by a woman: 62 hours and 6 minutes across nine spacewalks
- First person to run a marathon in space
- Second-most cumulative time in space for a NASA astronaut
“I had an amazing 27-year career at NASA,” Williams said in her retirement statement. “It’s been an incredible honor to have served in the Astronaut Office and have had the opportunity to fly in space three times.”
The Extended Mission That Captured Global Attention
In June 2024, Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for what was intended as an eight-day test mission to the International Space Station. However, mechanical problems with the spacecraft’s thrusters and helium leaks forced NASA to keep them in orbit while engineers worked to resolve the issues.
The pair spent nine months in space before finally returning to Earth in March 2025. During this extended stay, they continued conducting scientific experiments and maintaining the space station while the world watched their unexpected adventure unfold.
Wilmore retired from NASA four months later in August 2025. Speaking with News Of Los Angeles in September 2025, Williams hinted that retirement was on her horizon, saying, “I think I might turn to the next chapter of life.”
Tributes From NASA Leadership
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Williams as “a trailblazer in human spaceflight” whose “extraordinary achievements will continue to inspire generations to dream big and push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, described Williams as “a pioneering leader,” while Scott Tingle, chief of the Astronaut Office, emphasized her impact on fellow astronauts.
“She’s incredibly sharp, and an all-around great friend and colleague,” Tingle said. “She’s inspired so many people, including myself and other astronauts in the corps. We’re all going to miss her greatly and wish her nothing but the best.”
Looking Toward Future Exploration
In her retirement statement, Williams expressed optimism about NASA’s future missions to the moon and Mars, calling the agency’s people and science “truly awe-inspiring.”
“I hope to have helped set a solid foundation for those taking bold new steps toward exploring the moon and Mars at the agency,” she stated. “I am super excited for NASA and its partner agencies as we take these next steps, and I can’t wait to watch the agency make history.”
Williams thanked her colleagues for their “wonderful love and support” throughout her nearly three-decade career, expressing gratitude for the opportunities she had to contribute to human spaceflight.
Key Takeaways
- Suni Williams retires as one of NASA’s most accomplished astronauts, with 608 days in space and multiple records
- Her final mission became an international story when technical problems extended a week-long test into a nine-month stay
- NASA leadership praised her as a trailblazer who inspired countless people to pursue space exploration
- Williams leaves the agency expressing confidence in its future missions to the moon and Mars
