NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has shared her awe of India, describing it as “amazing” from space and expressing her optimism about visiting her “father’s home country” to engage with people about space exploration.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Williams reminisced about her time aboard the International Space Station and how India looked from above. “Every time we went over the Himalayas, Butch [fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore] got some incredible pictures,” she said, adding that the view was spectacular. Williams, 59, and Wilmore held their first joint press conference after returning from the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which saw them stranded in space for over nine months.
Williams described the view of India from space, saying, “It’s many, many colours.” She particularly noted the sight of the Himalayas and how they stand out against the landscape. “When you come from the east, you can see Gujarat and Mumbai. The fishing fleet off the coast gives you a little beacon, and then, as you go down through India, you see a network of lights from big cities to smaller ones.” She also expressed amazement at the Himalayas’ imposing presence, framing the entire country in a beautiful way.
Her comments were reminiscent of the famous words of Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma, who became the first Indian in space in 1984. When asked by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi how India looked from space, Sharma famously said, “Sare jahan se achcha.”
Looking forward, Williams expressed her eagerness to visit India, adding, “I think for sure, I’m gonna be going back to my father’s home country and visiting with people.” She also referenced the upcoming Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which will send Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian astronaut, to the International Space Station. Shukla’s mission, scheduled soon, will make him the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma.
Williams, whose father Deepak Pandya hailed from Gujarat, also spoke about the pride she felt for her heritage. Her father moved to the United States in 1958 for his medical internship and residency training in Cleveland, Ohio.
She joked about her crew members joining her on a trip to India, saying with a laugh, “Absolutely. You might stick out a little bit, but that’s okay. We’ll get you all primed with some spicy food, it will be good.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Williams and her crew members back after their extended mission to the International Space Station. He praised their perseverance, saying their “unwavering determination” would inspire millions. “Welcome back, Crew9! The Earth missed you,” Modi tweeted.
The astronauts, including Williams, Nick Hague, Wilmore, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth on March 18 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which landed off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida. Their mission had been extended due to spacecraft issues, with Williams and Wilmore’s spacecraft delayed in September after technical failures.
Modi highlighted the astronauts’ journey as a “test of grit, courage, and the boundless human spirit,” emphasizing that their perseverance in the face of challenges was a testament to human potential in space exploration.
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