After announcing her retirement, Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, renowned for her record-setting missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has visited Delhi to deliver an inspiring lecture titled “The Making of an Astronaut: Sunita Williams’ Story.”
Williams shared her experiences from Expeditions 71 and 72, offering students and faculty a unique glimpse into life in space.
Addressing a packed audience, Williams reflected on the excitement and challenges of human spaceflight. “Every new project has its ups and downs, but each one teaches us something and prepares us better for what comes next,” she said, emphasising how observation and simplicity often solve complex problems in space missions.
Williams invited students to imagine life without gravity, explaining how microgravity provides insights into materials, medicine, and human behaviour.
“When you take gravity away, you start to understand ourselves and the universe better.”
The lecture inaugurated the Prof VN Vazirani Institute Lecture, established in memory of the late Prof V. N. Vazirani by his sons Vijay and Umesh Vazirani. Following the talk, Williams participated in a fireside chat moderated by Prof Shilpi Sharma, discussing her childhood, her discipline as a student-athlete, teamwork, and the unique challenges of long-duration space missions.
Sharing a lighter moment from orbit, she recalled how opening a package of Indian food became memorable because she shared it with her crewmates. “Food has a way of bringing people together, even in space,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Williams met IIT Delhi Director Prof. Banerjee, who highlighted the institute’s growing footprint in space technology and collaborations with ISRO.
Williams, 60, retired from NASA on December 27, 2025, after a 27-year career during which she completed three ISS missions, logged 608 days in space, performed nine spacewalks totalling over 62 hours, and became the first person to run a marathon in orbit. Born to a Gujarati father and Slovenian mother, she has inspired generations with her pioneering contributions to human space exploration.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised her as “a trailblazer in human spaceflight, paving the way for commercial missions and future exploration to the Moon and Mars.”
During her visit, Williams also engaged in an interactive session at the American Center in New Delhi, sharing stories from her career, including the extended nine-month mission that tested endurance and teamwork in space.
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