Daily Current Affairs and GK | 22 January 2026

Topic: Personality in News

1. Sunita Williams has retired from NASA after a 27-year career.

• She is one of the most accomplished astronauts in human spaceflight.
• Her retirement followed an unexpected nine-month mission on the International Space Station.
• As per NASA, her retirement became effective on December 27, 2025.
• NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called her a pioneer in space exploration.
• Sunita Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio. She considers Needham, Massachusetts, her hometown.
• Her father was a a neuroanatomist. He was born in Jhulasan in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. He later migrated to the United States.
• Her mother, Bonnie Pandya, is of Slovenian origin. Sunita Williams' first spaceflight began on December 9, 2006.
• She launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-116 mission.
• She returned to Earth on Space Shuttle Atlantis with the STS-117 crew.
• During Expeditions 14 and 15, she served as a flight engineer. She completed four spacewalks during this period. This was a record at the time.
• She spent 127 days in space during Expeditions 32 and 33. She was among the few women to lead the ISS.
• Her third mission began in June 2024. She launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
• The mission was originally planned to be short but was extended to nine months.
• She joined Expeditions 71 and 72. She returned safely to Earth in March 2025.
• She spent a total of 608 days in space across three missions.
• She ranks sixth among Americans for longest single spaceflight.
• She has completed nine spacewalks in her career.
• The total duration of her spacewalks is 62 hours and 6 minutes.
• This is the highest for any female astronaut. It ranks fourth overall in NASA history.
• She was the first person to run a marathon in space.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

2. A 10-year liquefied natural gas sales and purchase agreement has been signed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Gas (ADNOC Gas) and its subsidiaries with HPCL.

• The agreement signed with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited is valued between $2.5 billion and $3 billion.
• The agreement was announced during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to India.
• Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and managing director and group chief executive of ADNOC, and Vikas Kaushal, chairman and managing director of HPCL exchanged the contract.
• Under the agreement, ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million tonnes per annum LNG to HPCL.
• The source of supply will be ADNOC Gas’ Das Island liquefaction facility. This facility has a production capacity of up to 6 mtpa.
• The deal supports India aims to raise the share of natural gas in its energy mix to 15% by 2030.