New Delhi

Veteran astronaut Sunita Williams said that seeing Earth from space profoundly shifted her perspective on life, making human disagreements and conflicts appear almost trivial. Speaking at an interactive session titled “Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground” at the American Center in New Delhi, Williams reflected on how space travel fosters a sense of unity among people.

Williams, 60, who recently retired from NASA after a 27-year career, described her last mission — initially intended as an eight-day test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) — which extended to over nine months due to technical delays with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. She called space exploration the ultimate “team sport,” emphasizing that nations must collaborate because “this is our one planet, we are here together.”

“When you reach space, your first instinct is to look for home. My father is from India, and my mother from Slovenia, so I naturally searched for those places. But soon, that focus expands, and you begin to see Earth as a single living planet,” Williams said. She described witnessing seasonal changes, shifts in ocean colors due to algae blooms, and vast ice formations in the polar regions. “It really changes your perception of human conflicts. From that perspective, arguments just seem so silly,” she added with a chuckle.

Williams also addressed personal fears, noting in a lighter vein her caution around bears near her home. “You have to know your place in the universe and on Earth and be respectful of the animals around you,” she said.

During her career, Williams completed three ISS missions, logging 608 days in space — the second-highest cumulative time for a NASA astronaut — and conducted nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and six minutes, the most by a woman. She also became the first person to run a marathon in space. Her experiences spanned NASA’s Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions, earning her recognition on multiple spaceflight records.

At the American Center event, she engaged with students and attendees on a wide range of topics, including mental health in space, space debris management, the commercialisation of space, and collaboration between private and public space ventures. Her ability to relate complex professional experiences to everyday life resonated strongly with the youth.

Students praised Williams’ engaging style and humour. “She made her experiences relatable while sharing valuable life lessons. I walked out of the hall feeling inspired,” said Aashi Baisoya, a B.Tech student. Kritagya Arora, another attendee, added that Williams’ adaptability and sense of humour made the session both informative and enjoyable.

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Williams’ visit to India and her reflections on space, unity, and teamwork continue to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and space enthusiasts.