NASA astronaut Suni Williams rides through New York City as the Grand Marshal of the Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11, 2026. (Image credit: Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

New Yorkers got a space-y surprise on Wednesday (Nov. 11): Retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain Sunita "Suni" Williams rolled down 5th Avenue in the back of a classic convertible wrapped in patriotic decals as Grand Marshal of the Veterans Day Parade.

What is it?

On Wednesday, New York City's 107th annual Veterans Day Parade made its way through Manhattan to the cheers and respectful nods of thousands of onlookers.

The parade is an annual tradition on the holiday, which honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces. As part of the parade, veterans, active-duty soldiers, firefighters, marching bands, youth cadets and more march through the city and honor those who have served and sacrificed in the U.S. military.

This year, the parade featured Suni Williams as its grand marshal.…