From Navy Pilot to Astronaut: The Journey of Sunita Williams
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Early Life & Education
Born: September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, USA, parents: Indian-American father: Deepak Pandya and Slovenian mother: Bonnie Pandya, studied at U.S. Naval Academy (1987), Master’s in Engineering Management (1995)
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Military Career
Became a Navy pilot in 1989, logged over 3,000 flight hours on 30+ aircraft, served in Persian Gulf & Operation Desert Shield
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NASA Selection & Training
Selected as an astronaut in 1998, trained extensively for space missions, specialized in robotics and spacewalking
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First Space Mission (2006-2007)
Mission: STS-116 to ISS, spent 195 days in space, conducted 4 spacewalks (totaling over 29 hours)
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Records & Achievements
First Indian-origin woman in space, held record for longest spaceflight by a woman (195 days), performed 7 spacewalks (50+ hours total)
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Second Space Mission (2012-2013)
Mission: Expedition 32/33, spent 127 days in space, became first person to run a marathon in space