NASA astronaut Suni Williams retires after 27 years

Suni Williams retired effective Dec. 27 after 27 years with NASA, and she returned from an extended 286‑day stay aboard the International Space Station following technical problems with a test Starliner capsule.

Suni Williams has retired from NASA effective Dec. 27, concluding 27 years with the agency. A former Navy pilot, she joined NASA in 1988 and flew three missions to the International Space Station. Her most recent assignment began in June 2024 as a short test flight and extended after technical problems with an experimental Starliner capsule. Williams and a fellow crew member spent 286 days on the station and returned to Earth in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Key facts: - Retirement announced by NASA, effective Dec. 27, after 27 years of service. - Williams completed three missions to the International Space Station, first flying in 2006 aboard space shuttle Discovery. - A June 2024 test flight aboard Boeing's Starliner encountered technical problems, and NASA later arranged an unmanned return of that capsule. - Williams and a crewmate remained on the station for 286 days and returned to Earth in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon. Summary: NASA described Williams as a trailblazer in human spaceflight and highlighted her leadership aboard the station. Her retirement is now official and she is no longer active with the agency. Undetermined at this time.