NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on space sovereignty: 'It's good for competition'

Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams said that it’s good to have competition in space missions because mysteries haven’t been entirely solved and humans need a lot of different ideas to try it out and learn from each or. In a conversation with author and public speaker Srijan Pal Singh, at a webinar organised by Dr Kalam Memorial Lecture, Williams talked about various issues related to space missions.

While answering Republic World’s question on issue of state sovereignty in space, Williams said that astronauts leave for space as humans representing Earth and it doesn’t really matter from where y belong. However, 54-year-old astronaut acknowledged that competition works as a forcing function and “it’s a fire underneath rocket to get it going essentially”.

“So I am fine with that because I think what we are going to find is - we need a lot of different ideas. It isn’t a math problem that is entirely solved. We need or people to come in with different ideas, try it out, and n we can actually learn from each or,” she said.

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Space setback

Talking about her early life and journey to NASA, Williams said that she saw her parents working hard as y h a humble beginning. She wanted to become a veterinarian but didn’t get mission in Universities she desired. Williams’ far suggested her join Naval acemy after which she joined Navy and became a pilot.  

NASA astronaut said that Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, which killed all seven crew members including Kalpana Chawla, was a big setback to United States space program. She said that astronauts didn’t really know if y go to space on a shuttle. Williams also h thought that though she is contributing to program, she may never go to space.

“After investigation, when we decided we are gonna go back to space on shuttle, and it was our turn...to go and train...it still felt like a little bit of a dream,” said Williams.

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