'Every Time We Went Over The Himalayas...’: Sunita Williams On How India Looks From Space

Last Updated:April 01, 2025, 07:46 IST

Williams praised India as a “great country” and a “wonderful democracy,” noting its progress in space exploration and expressing her willingness to support its efforts.

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore (R) attend a press conference. (IMAGE: YouTube)

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who came back to Earth after her 278-day stay at the Space Station, recently shared her views on how India looks from space, offering a vivid description of the country.

After coming back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore interacted with media for the first time on Tuesday and answered flurry of questions. Williams, whose father is from India, gave a beautiful description of how the country looks from space. She also said that she will be visiting India “for sure."

“India is amazing," she said, describing the breathtaking view of the Himalayas from space. “Every time we went over the Himalayas, we got incredible pictures. It happened like a ripple and flows down into India."

Highlighting the rich colours visible from orbit, particularly as the landscape transitions into Gujarat and Mumbai, she added, “It gives a beacon of ‘here it comes.’ There were networks of lights going from bigger cities and into smaller ones."

Sunita Williams expressed excitement in reconnecting with her roots in India, her father’s homeland and is also enthusiastic about India’s increasingly prominent role in space exploration.

“I hope to come back to my father’s home country and am getting excited about an Indian astronaut going to space with Axiom Mission," she said, referring to India’s collaboration with private space ventures.

Williams praised India as a “great country" and a “wonderful democracy," noting its progress in space exploration and expressing her willingness to support its efforts.

India is making strides in human spaceflight with its ambitious Gaganyaan program, which is on track to launch astronauts into orbit by 2026.

United States of America (USA)

News world 'Every Time We Went Over The Himalayas...’: Sunita Williams On How India Looks From Space