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Born on September 19, 1965, Sunita Williams is celebrating her 59th birthday in space at the International Space Station.
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She has strong Indian roots through her father, Dr. Deepak Pandya, who hails from Gujarat, India.
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Williams holds the record for the second-longest spacewalk time among female astronauts, with 50 hours and 40 minutes.
Sunita Williams, a renowned NASA astronaut of Indian origin, is celebrating her 59th birthday in space today. Born in Euclid, Ohio, to Indian father Dr. Deepak Pandya and American mother Bonnie Pandya, Williams has made India proud with her impressive achievements in space exploration. This is not her first birthday in space; she previously celebrated one during her Expedition 32/33 mission in 2012.
Williams’ remarkable career spans over two decades. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served in key missions, including the Persian Gulf War. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998, she underwent rigorous training and worked with the Russian Space Agency. Williams has spent 322 days in space across two missions and holds the record for the second-longest spacewalk time among female astronauts.
Currently, Williams is part of Boeing’s Crew Flight Test mission aboard the Starliner spacecraft, marking her third mission to the ISS. Her achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring astronauts and women in STEM fields worldwide. As she celebrates another year of life in space, we honor her dedication and contributions to space exploration.
