Sunita Williams homecoming: Which school did NASA’s ‘star-astronaut’ graduate from? Know all about her academic journey
Sunita Williams may have landed on Earth, but her happiness is over the moon. And why not? After all, she is finally back after after a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station.
Sunita, who’s ancestral village is in Gujarat’s Mehsana district, was born on September 19, 1965, in Ohio, United States. Interestingly, her father, originally from Jhulasan, had migrated to the United States in 1957, news agency PTI reported.
She also holds the record for the most time spent spacewalking by a female astronaut.
Now many might wonder what was her academic journey like? or which school did she study at?
Early education
Sunita’s academic journey started at the Needham High School in Massachusetts from where she graduated in 1983, according to the official website of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Following this, Sunita received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Science from the US Naval Academy in 1987 and then, a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.
Experience before NASA happened: A timeline
In May 1987, Sunita Williams received her commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval Academy.
She then received her designation as a Basic Diving Officer and reported to Naval Aviation Training Command, after a six-month temporary assignment at the Naval Coastal System Command.
In July 1989, Sunita was designated a Naval Aviator, and then reported to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 3 for initial H46, Seaknight, training.
It was during this period that she was assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 8 in Norfolk, Virginia, and made overseas deployments to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and the Persian Gulf in support of Desert Shield and Operation Provide Comfort.
In September 1992, she was appointed as the Officer-in-Charge of an H-46 detachment sent to Miami, Florida for Hurricane Andrew Relief Operations onboard USS Sylvania.
In January 1993, she was selected for United States Naval Test Pilot School.
After graduating from the course in December 1993, Sunita Williams was assigned to the Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Directorate as an H-46 Project Officer, and V-22 Chase Pilot in the T-2.
She was also assigned as the squadron Safety Officer and flew test flights in the SH-60B/F, UH-1, AH‑1W, SH-2, VH-3, H-46, CH-53 and the H-57, NASA informs.
In December 1995, she went back to the Naval Test Pilot School as an Instructor in the Rotary Wing Department and the school’s Safety Officer.
Sunita was then assigned to the USS Saipan (LHA-2), Norfolk, Virginia, as the Aircraft Handler and the Assistant Air Boss.
As informed by NASA, Sunita was deployed onboard USS Saipan when she was selected for the astronaut program.
The NASA experience
Sunita was selected as astronaut by NASA in June 1998. Her training consisted of orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques.
After the completion of her training, she worked in Moscow with the Russian Space Agency on the Russian contribution to the space station and with the first Expedition Crew.
She was also part of NEEMO2 crew, wherein she lived underwater in the Aquarius habitat for 9 days. After her first flight, she served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office.
Following this, she supported a long-duration mission as Flight Engineer for Expedition 32 and International Space Station Commander for Expedition 33.
Sunita Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024 for its first crewed flight and arrived at the space station on June 6.
They were initially expected to return in a week. However, their Starliner mission was extended owing to issues with their Boeing Starliner capsule, thereby delaying their return.
Following NASA’s decision to return Starliner uncrewed, Sunita became Expedition 71/72 crewmember and returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, along with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Her fellow crewmembers also included NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, all of whom were part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
(With inputs from official website of NASA)
