NASA Astronaut Suni Williams Retires After 27 Years

NASA astronaut Suni Williams, who endured an extended stay aboard the International Space Station due to technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, has retired from the agency after more than 27 years of service. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced the decision on January 20, 2026, stating that Williams's retirement took effect at the end of December 2025.

Williams, 60, a former Navy captain, joined her crewmate Butch Wilmore on the inaugural crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner capsule in 2024. The mission, originally planned to last about a week, was prolonged to more than nine months after the spacecraft encountered problems with its thrusters and other systems during the journey to the station. Unable to return on Starliner, the pair hitched a ride home in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Wilmore, who faced similar circumstances, had already departed NASA the previous summer.

Throughout her career, Williams accumulated 608 days in space across three missions to the International Space Station. She holds the record for the most spacewalking time by a woman, totaling 62 hours during nine extravehicular activities. Her...