"I'm going to visit my father's home country," says Sunita Williams, plans collaboration with ISRO in India

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, recently returned from a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has confirmed plans to visit India. During a recent press conference, Williams expressed excitement about reconnecting with her father’s home country and sharing her experiences of space exploration. Williams' father, Deepak Pandya, is originally from Gujarat, and she emphasized the personal significance of the trip. “I hope, and I think for sure, I’m going to be going back to my father’s home country and visiting with people,” she said.

Williams was part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which saw the astronauts stranded in space for over nine months due to technical issues with their spacecraft. Despite the extended duration, Williams and her crew maintained their focus on the mission. During the press conference, she shared her views on India from space, particularly the Himalayas, which left a lasting impression on her. She noted, “Every time we went over the Himalayas, we got some incredible pictures of the Himalayas... just amazing.” She also described the country’s geographical formation, noting the ripple effect caused by the collision of tectonic plates, which led to the formation of the Himalayas.

Apart from the stunning views, Williams mentioned how India appeared from space, with a network of lights from the larger cities and down into the smaller ones. “I think the impression I had was it was just like this network of lights from the bigger cities going down through the smaller cities. Just incredible to look at at night as well as during the day,” she said. Williams also spoke about the coastal areas, particularly the fishing fleets off the coast of Gujarat and Mumbai, which served as a visible marker when approaching India from space.

Williams expressed her admiration for India’s growing space program and the role it plays in the global space exploration community. She specifically mentioned the upcoming Axiom Mission 4, which will send Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to space, marking a significant milestone for India. “They’ll have a hometown hero there of their own that will be able to talk about how wonderful the International Space Station is from his perspective,” she added. Shukla, who is also part of India’s Gaganyaan mission, will become the second Indian astronaut to go to space.

During her visit, Williams plans to meet with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) team, expressing her desire to collaborate with them in the future. She also discussed her enthusiasm for meeting Shubhanshu Shukla and other Indian astronauts. “I hope I can meet up at some point in time, and we can share our experiences with as many people in India as possible,” she said. Williams highlighted India’s potential in the space sector and her eagerness to contribute to its progress.

Williams also confirmed that her fellow astronaut, Butch Wilmore, will join her on the trip to India. She jokingly added that they would be prepared for the spicy Indian cuisine, saying, “You might stick out a little bit but that's okay. We’ll get you all primed with some spicy food, will be good.” Her upcoming visit underscores her personal connection to India and her commitment to supporting the country’s ambitions in space exploration.