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India looks amazing: Sunita Williams in first post-mission interview
Williams expressed her eagerness to return to India and offer to help with the country’s space program.
Sunita Williams / NASA
Indian American NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams described the views of the Indian subcontinent from the International Space Station, as "amazing" during her first post-mission press briefing on March 31.
"India is amazing," Williams said in response to a question of how the country looked from space. "Every time we went over the Himalayas, and I'll tell you, Butch got some incredible pictures of the Himalayas. Just amazing,” she added.
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Elaborating on the Himalayan topography, she said, "You can see, like I've described it before, just like this ripple that happened, obviously, when the plates collided. And then as it flows down into India, it's many, many colors." She also highlighted the striking sight of India's coastline, particularly near Gujarat and Mumbai. "The fishing fleet off the coast there gives you a little bit of a beacon that here we come," she noted.
Further describing the country’s illuminated landscape at night, she said, "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."
Williams expressed her eagerness to return to her father’s home country and support India’s growing space program. "I think for sure I'm going to be going back to my father's home country and visiting with people. I would love to be part of that and help them along” she said referring to….
Williams recounted her initial feelings upon touching down on Earth, saying, "I wanted to hug my husband and hug my dogs.” She also said that she enjoyed a grilled cheese sandwich, which reminded her of her vegetarian father.
Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore splashed down aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon on March 18 after a nine-and-a-half-month stay aboard the ISS—far longer than their originally planned eight-day Starliner test flight.
Both astronauts acknowledged challenges with the Starliner spacecraft but expressed confidence in its future. Wilmore stated, "We're going to fix it. We're going to make it work." Williams added, "It is a great spacecraft, and it has a lot of capability that other spacecraft don't have, and to see that thing successful and to be part of that program is an honor."
Now back at NASA's Johnson Space Center, the astronauts are undergoing physical therapy to readjust to Earth's gravity.
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