NEW DELHI: Former US astronaut Sunita Williams on Wednesday told students at IIT-Delhi that a solution can be something simple if one is willing to observe carefully.
Delivering an engaging lecture titled The Making of an Astronaut: Sunita Williams’ Story, she reflected on the current phase of human spaceflight, remarking that “It is a very exciting time in human space exploration. Every new project has its ups and downs, but each one teaches us something and prepares us better for what comes next.”
Speaking about the complexity of space missions, she explained that astronauts often work with multiple systems and redundancies, “but sometimes the solution is not very complicated. It can be something simple if you are willing to observe carefully.”
A fireside chat moderated by Prof Shilpi Sharma, Associate Dean for Academic Outreach and New Initiatives, provided a more personal glimpse into Williams’ life.
She reflected on teamwork, discipline shaped by her childhood as a student-athlete, and the emotional aspects of long-duration missions.
One particularly touching moment was her recollection of sharing Indian food with crewmates in space, underscoring how food has a way of bringing people together even in orbit. She also said that looking at Earth from above gives one an “overview effect” and “you realise we are all living on one planet, deeply connected, and boundaries start to feel meaningless.”