(Image source from: Instagram.com/astronaut.sunitalynwilliams.fc)
Veteran NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has officially retired after an impressive 27 years, signifying the conclusion of an incredible adventure in space missions. The agency has stated that her retirement became effective on December 27, 2025. Throughout her notable career, she carried out three missions on the International Space Station, achieved various human spaceflight records, and spent 608 days in space, which is the second-longest total for anyone from NASA. She has also undertaken nine spacewalks, totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes outside the spacecraft, marking her as the female astronaut with the most spacewalks and the fourth most overall in NASA’s records. Now, many are curious about how her life will unfold after hanging up her suit.
Sunita Williams will not receive a pension directly from NASA post-retirement. Instead, she can qualify for a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), calculated based on her 27 years of work and her average earnings during her three highest-paid consecutive years. She may get about 1% of her average high-3 salary for every year of her service, which could amount to a considerable sum considering her GS-15 pay grade and an annual salary of around Rs 1.20-1.30 crore.
While the specific figure has not been made public, she might be looking at a federal pension of roughly $43,200 yearly (approximately Rs 36 lakh). She concludes her 27 years with NASA, which includes recognized service time from her role as a captain in the US Navy. Along with her FERS pension, Sunita will receive payments from the US Social Security System, which provides her with an additional monthly income. Other benefits she will keep include health insurance, life insurance, and her Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) savings.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): A retirement savings and investment program that functions similarly to a 401(k).
Social Security: Monthly payments received through the US Social Security system.
Continued Support: Ongoing access to federal health insurance, life insurance, and medical and psychological support after missions.
