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 Sunita
L. Williams (Commander, USN)
NASA Astronaut
PERSONAL DATA: Born September 19, 1965 in Euclid,
Ohio, but considers Needham, Massachusetts to be her hometown.
Married to Michael J. Williams. Although they have no children,
Labrador retrievers and a crazy Jack Russell Terrier named Gorby
have added their share of excitement to their lives. Recreational
interests include running, swimming, biking, triathlons,
windsurfing, snowboarding and bow hunting. Her parents, Dr. Deepak
and Mrs. Bonnie Pandya, reside in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
EDUCATION:
Needham High School, Needham, Massachusetts, 1983.
B.S., Physical Science, U.S. Naval Academy, 1987.
M.S., Engineering Management, Florida Institute of Technology, 1995.
ORGANIZATIONS: Society of Experimental Test Pilots,
Society of Flight Test Engineers, American Helicopter Association.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded Navy Commendation Medal (2),
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal
and various other service awards.
EXPERIENCE: Williams received her commission as an
Ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval
Academy in May 1987. After a six-month temporary assignment at the
Naval Coastal System Command, she received her designation as a
Basic Diving Officer and then reported to Naval Aviation Training
Command. She was designated a Naval Aviator in July 1989. She then
reported to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 3 for initial H46,
Seaknight, training. Upon completion of this training, she was
assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 8 in Norfolk,
Virginia, and made overseas deployments to the Mediterranean, Red
Sea and the Persian Gulf in support of Desert Shield and Operation
Provide Comfort. In September 1992 she was the Officer-in-Charge of
an H-46 detachment sent to Miami, Florida for Hurricane Andrew
Relief Operations onboard USS Sylvania. Williams was selected for
United States Naval Test Pilot School and began the course in
January 1993. After graduation in December 1993, she was assigned to
the Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Directorate as an H-46 Project
Officer, and V-22 Chase Pilot in the T-2. While there she was also
assigned as the squadron Safety Officer and flew test flights in the
SH-60B/F, UH-1, AH-1W, SH-2, VH-3, H-46, CH-53 and the H-57. In
December 1995, she went back to the Naval Test Pilot School as an
Instructor in the Rotary Wing Department and the school’s Safety
Officer. There she flew the UH-60, OH-6 and the OH-58. From there
she was assigned to the USS Saipan (LHA-2), Norfolk, Virginia, as
the Aircraft Handler and the Assistant Air Boss. Williams was
deployed onboard USS Saipan when she was selected for the astronaut
program.
She has logged over 2770 flight
hours in more than 30 different aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1998, she
reported for training in August 1998. 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. Following a
period of training and evaluation, Williams worked in Moscow with
the Russian Space Agency on the Russian contribution to the
International Space Station and with the first Expedition Crew to
the ISS. Following the return of Expedition-1, Williams has worked
within the Robotics branch on the ISS Robotic Arm and the follow on
Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. As a NEEMO2 crewmember she
lived underwater in the Aquarius habitat for 9 days. She is
currently assigned to the Expedition-14 crew. She will join
Expedition-14 in progress, to serve as a flight engineer, after
traveling to the International Space Station with the crew aboard
STS-116 |
