Sunita Williams was born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio. She attended Needham High School in Needham, Massachusetts, graduating in 1983. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Science from the V.S. Naval Academy in 1987 and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1995.
Sunita is a United States Naval officer and a NASA astronaut. She was assigned to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and then joined Expedition 15. She holds the record of the longest spaceflight of 195 days for female space travellers.
She received her commission as an ensign in the US Navy from the US Naval Academy in May 1987. She was designated a Naval Aviator in 1989 and graduated from the Naval test pilot school in 1993. Selected by NASA in June 1998, Sunita began her training in August 1998. Her Astronaut candidate training included 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.
She surpassed Kathryn Thornton, which had three spacewalks for the woman with the most spacewalks. Williams worked in Moscow with the Russian space agency on Russian contribution to the ISS and with the first expedition crew, sent to the ISS. Following the return of Expedition, Williams worked within the Robotics branch on the ISS Robotic Arm and the related special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. She was a crewmember on the NEEMOZ mission, living underwater in the Aquarius habitat for nine days in May 2002. Sunita got Navy commendation medals twice, Navy and Marine Creps Achievement Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal and various other service awards.
In September 2007, Sunita Williams visited India. She went to the Sabarmati Ashram, set by Gandhiji in 1915 and her ancestral village Jhulassan in Gujarat. She was awarded the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Award by the World Gujarati Society, the first person of Indian origin, who is not an Indian citizen to be presented the award. On October 4, 2007, Sunita spoke at the American Embassy School and then met Indian President Dr Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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