Sunita Williams And Lessons About Space
As a child, space didn’t feel like science — it felt like magic. Thousands of stars, distant galaxies, mysterious black holes, supernovas, planets, and moons — everything seemed like an imaginative fantasy world. And it wasn’t just space itself. The precisely manoeuvred satellites orbiting Earth, astronauts floating inside space stations, the bulky space suits — all of it was endlessly fascinating.
But now, what fascinates me even more is the kind of person it takes to survive there. Individuals whose journeys are built on discipline, resilience, and a deep curiosity about the universe. One such extraordinary figure is Sunita Williams, a record-breaking astronaut, naval officer, engineer, and an inspiration to millions.
Sunita Lyn Williams was born on September 19, 1965, in Euclid, Ohio, USA. Her father, Dr. Deepak Pandya, was originally from Gujarat, India, and her mother, Bonnie Pandya, is of Slovenian descent. Growing up in a multicultural household, Sunita carried both Indian and American influences throughout her life. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from the United States Naval Academy in 1987 and later earned a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Before becoming an astronaut, she served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy and logged more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 aircraft types.
When Sunita Williams first went to the International Space Station in 2006. She would go on to spend months in orbit. Months away from family. Months in microgravity, where even simple things like eating or drinking water require adjustment. Then there is the problem that your body weakens immediately in the absence of gravity. Muscles shrink, bones lose density, fluids shift to your head, and you can’t even sleep normally. Under such conditions, exercise is not an option, nor is it flexible. Astronauts must work out for two hours every single day just to slow the damage. It takes discipline and undeterred motivation to show up again and again, even when floating feels easier than fighting physics.
For women, there is an additional layer of planning that rarely makes it into glossy mission highlights. Menstrual health has to be considered in an environment where storage, hygiene, waste management, and medical access are tightly controlled. Today, astronauts can choose medically supervised menstrual suppression or other safe management methods before and during missions. But it wasn’t always handled with such clarity. Before Sally Ride’s 1983 mission, engineers reportedly asked if 100 tampons would be enough for a week in space — highlighting how little experience there was at the time. Women like Sunita Williams and many others helped normalise women’s long-duration space missions. Space agencies now plan for menstrual health just like they plan for muscle loss or bone density. Therefore, surviving in space isn't just about engineering spacecraft. It’s about understanding and supporting the human body — all human bodies — in one of the harshest environments imaginable.
One of my favourite stories about her is the Boston Marathon. While in orbit, she ran the marathon on a treadmill inside the ISS. But here’s the catch: in microgravity, you don’t stay on the treadmill unless you’re strapped down. So astronauts must strap themselves down with a harness that pulls them toward the machine. You are running while being artificially pulled down. Her run wasn’t symbolic. It was physically uncomfortable and biomechanically unnatural. And yet, she adapted. It revealed her resilience, discipline, and ability to push through discomfort, even in conditions not built for her success.
And then there were the spacewalks. During those spacewalks, she helped repair and maintain critical parts of the station. During a spacewalk, temperatures swing between extreme heat and extreme cold; every movement requires effort—the suit is pressurised and stiff; tools can drift away if not secured; you must remain mentally sharp for hours. It is like performing surgery, while orbiting Earth at 28,000 km/h. One mistake could be catastrophic. As of January 2025, Williams had made nine spacewalks totalling 62 hours and 6 minutes, setting a total-time record for a woman and ranking fourth overall on the list of most experienced spacewalkers.
In 2012, she became Commander of the ISS — only the second woman ever to do so. Leading 400 km above Earth, in a place where every action carries consequence, is no small task. You are coordinating a multinational crew, working with delayed communications, and taking responsibility for equipment worth billions. What stands out about Sunita Williams is her steadiness in the face of that uncertainty — her willingness to trust the process, rely on teamwork, and focus on solutions rather than fear. That mindset, more than the rocket launch itself, is what truly gets you to space.
After a distinguished 27-year career at NASA, Sunita “Suni” Williams retired from the agency on 27 December 2025. Her career reminds us that space exploration is, at its core, a profoundly human endeavour. It transcends nationality, gender, and background. Whether commanding the International Space Station or speaking to schoolchildren, she has embodied curiosity, courage, and quiet determination. For many in India, she represents possibility — proof that global science has room for stories that begin anywhere. And as India prepares for its first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, her journey feels especially meaningful. It bridges generations of dreamers, reminding us that the path to space is built not only by rockets and research, but by resilient individuals who dare to imagine themselves there.
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