EP 68: Calm Under Extreme Pressure: Astronaut Sunita Williams On Her Unexpected Extended Stay On The International Space Station

Talk about a tough day at work. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were the first to fly the Boeing Starliner into space in June of 2024. The plan for the test mission was to pilot the new spacecraft into orbit, dock with the International Space Station for 8 days, and return home. But when the two astronauts first attempted to approach the ISS, five of the Starliner’s critical thrusters failed for a time, and the astronauts were in the unenviable position of piloting a potentially unreliable spacecraft. 

Their story grabbed headlines around the world. After successfully docking with ISS, the decision was made to return the Starliner unmanned and have the astronauts stay aboard the ISS until they could be returned safely. That decision extended their stay to 286 days in space, and they finally returned to Earth in March of 2025.  

It’s the type of high-stakes situation Sunita Williams, who goes by Suni, has trained for much of her professional life. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S Naval Test Pilot School, she has spent years learning how to calmly solve potentially life-threatening problems in air and spacecraft. It’s the type of work that underscores the importance of collaborating well with others, doing your homework, and trusting your team.   

💬 In this episode, we explore:

• Highlights of Suni’s three missions to the ISS, including how she sleeps, exercises, and showers in space
• How her career proved to be a series of unexpected pivots, how she handled it, and her advice to young women starting out 
• Why she never felt “stranded” on the ISS and remained convinced that she & Butch Wilmore would eventually return home to Earth safely 
• What’s involved in the high-pressure task of space walks, and the awe-inspiring sights she witnessed 
• What her plans are for the future, and her thoughts on sending crews to the Moon and to Mars.  

🔗 Check out NASA.gov

📸 Follow @NASA on Instagram 

📸 Follow Suni Williams on X

🔗 Check out info on NASA Expedition 72 & Expedition 71  

 💻Video of Suni Williams & Butch Wilmore working & exercising on the ISS

 💻Video of Suni Williams & Butch Wilmore on a spacewalk on November 12, 2024

 💻Video of Suni Wiliams & Butch Wilmore’s return to Earth on March 18, 2025 

💻Watch episodes on HOW SHE DOES IT on our YouTube Page 

📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode

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