Sunita Williams Celebrates 59th Birthday, Her Second While in Space

Celebrating birthday in unique and memorable way is the desire of every individual, and if it gets achieved in space and that also no other than International Space Station (ISS), then it remains only in dream. Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams celebrated her 59th birthday on Thursday, (September 19, 2024) on the International Space Station (ISS). After celebrating her first birthday in orbit last year during her 2012 mission, it was another day of marking the special occasion on the ISS on June 7.

Unlike cake and candles parties, Williams has been confined in space since June 6 marked her birthday when she attended a conference with the flight directors discussing future mission objectives and the scientific research into that orbiting lab.

Reports state, Williams who is part of Boeing Crew Flight Test mission, was instructed to keep the life support systems of the ISS in good working order.
Reports indicate that at one point during the day, the Indian-origin astronaut, along with Don Pettit, first replaced the filters inside the waste and hygiene compartment of the ISS- popularly known as the space bathroom, then raised some objections with the flight directors in NASA's Mission Control Centre in Houston over the mission objectives and future tasks.

Indian fans celebrated the birthday of the Indian-origin astronaut. Special birthday surprise by Indian music company Saregama with all-renowned singers like Sonu Nigam, Shaan and Neeti Mohan crooning the timeless birthday song "Bar Bar Din Ye Aaye."

Share on Instagram Saregama has shared: "Come on India let's sing #HappyBirthdaySunita along with India's biggest icons and send our collective wishes to Astronaut Sunita Williams up in space. Use #HappyBirthdaySunita to post your videos and Tag @saregama_official

It is worth noting that it marks Williams' third flight to space, besides her very first in 2006 and her second in 2012. According to NASA, "Sunita has spent a cumulative total of 322 days in space," and she is the second female astronaut to make the most number of spacewalks.