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 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 missions.

While answering Republic World’s question on issue of state sovereignty in , Williams said that astronauts leave for as humans representing Earth and it doesn’t really matter from where y belong. However, 54-year-old astronaut ackwledged 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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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 Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, which killed all seven crew members including Kalpana Chawla, was a big setback to United States program. She said that astronauts didn’t really kw if y go to on a shuttle. Williams also h thought that though she is contributing to program, she may never go to .

“After investigation, when we decided we are gonna go back to 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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