Interview with Commander Sunita Williams
Duration: ~4 minutes 55 seconds
INTRO
INTERVIEWER:
She's lived in space for nearly a year, run a marathon in zero gravity, performed seven spacewalks, and carried the
Bhagavad Gita and Lord Ganesh into orbit. U.S. Navy test pilot, record-breaking astronaut, and all-around powerhouse -
please welcome Commander Sunita Williams. Sunita, I'm so pleased to have you here.
SUNITA:
Me too! It's a pleasure. Always happy to talk about space, adventure - and a little chaos along the way!
Q1 - Life in space: surreal, weird, wonderful
INTERVIEWER:
Let's start with the big one - you've actually lived in space. No gravity, no showers, no fresh air. What was that really like
day to day?
SUNITA:
Honestly? Equal parts mind-blowing and hilarious. You wake up and float - literally - to your workstation. Brushing your
teeth is a science experiment. And once, I spent five minutes chasing a floating tortilla that escaped my lunch pouch.
But the best part was looking out the window. Earth was just... suspended there, glowing blue. No borders, no sound. It
makes everything you argue about on Earth feel so small. You feel lucky - and tiny - at the same time.
INTERVIEWER:
Floating tortillas and existential wisdom - sounds like a full day.
Q2 - Indian roots, Gita & Ganesh
INTERVIEWER:
You've spoken a lot about carrying Indian culture to space - a Gita, a Ganesh idol. That feels powerful.
SUNITA:
It was. My father's from Gujarat, and growing up, that part of my identity was always there - the food, the values, the
stories. When I packed for my mission, taking the Gita and Ganesh just felt... natural.
There was one evening when everything felt intense - communication delays, a technical glitch. I remember sitting by
the window with Ganesh floating next to me and just reading a few lines from the Gita. It didn't fix the problem, but it
gave me this calm. It reminded me that I could handle it.
INTERVIEWER:
That's beautiful - space may be silent, but your roots still speak loud.
Q3 - Fear in space
INTERVIEWER:
Space seems terrifying sometimes. Was there ever a moment you were really scared?
SUNITA:
Interview with Commander Sunita Williams
Duration: ~4 minutes 55 seconds
Yeah - during one spacewalk, I was helping fix an ammonia leak. Ammonia's dangerous stuff - if it gets into the station, it
can be toxic. We were outside the ISS, suits on, tools in hand... and suddenly the leak started spreading faster than
expected. My heart was pounding.
I had to stay completely focused - every move mattered. One wrong twist and the situation could've gone south. But my
training kicked in, my crewmate calmed me down, and step by step, we got through it.
INTERVIEWER:
That's not fear, that's a pressure cooker in a spacesuit.
Q4 - The orbital marathon
INTERVIEWER:
You ran a marathon in orbit. I can barely run with gravity holding me down. Why'd you do that?
SUNITA:
(Laughs) Because I'd signed up for the Boston Marathon before launch! I didn't want to back out. So I trained on a
treadmill in space, strapped in with bungees. It was bouncy, awkward, and definitely not graceful.
But running gave me a rhythm, a sense of normalcy. And yeah, when I got the digital finisher's certificate - that was a
moment.
INTERVIEWER:
You've officially ruined all Earth marathons for the rest of us.
Q5 - Women in tough spaces
INTERVIEWER:
You've thrived in male-dominated environments - the Navy, NASA. Was that ever isolating?
SUNITA:
There were times I felt like I had to prove I deserved to be there - more than the guys. In flight school, during
simulations, even on the station sometimes. But I had mentors, male and female, who believed in me. And I learned to
speak up.
I remember one day on the ship, I was the only woman officer on the bridge - and someone asked me if I was "lost." I
just smiled and gave orders anyway. You don't yell. You just lead.
INTERVIEWER:
That's the mic-drop way to respond. Quiet power - I like that.
Q6 - When things go wrong
INTERVIEWER:
Everyone sees the highlights - but tell me about a time things didn't go right.
SUNITA:
Oh, I've had plenty of "oops" moments! One time, I misread a procedure during a power system check on the station -
Interview with Commander Sunita Williams
Duration: ~4 minutes 55 seconds
ended up powering down a non-target system. Mission Control had to guide me through a reset, and I was so
embarrassed.
But no one yelled. They just walked me through it, and I learned. That's the thing about space - it teaches you humility
real fast.
INTERVIEWER:
Good to know even astronauts have "uh-oh" days.
Q7 - Message to dreamers
INTERVIEWER:
For young people watching - especially girls in India - what would you say if they dream of space or science?
SUNITA:
Start small - but start. Tinker with machines, build things, break them, fix them again. I didn't grow up thinking I'd be an
astronaut. I just kept saying yes to new challenges.
The path doesn't have to be straight. Mine had zigzags, delays, detours - but if you're curious and persistent, space
opens up.
INTERVIEWER:
I love that - curiosity with a seatbelt.
Q8 - What's next?
INTERVIEWER:
You've gone to space - twice. So... what's next?
SUNITA:
Right now, I'm training for future test missions with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Commercial spaceflight is the new
frontier - and I want to help shape it. I'd love to go back to space, maybe even to the Moon if I'm lucky.
But even on Earth, there's so much work to do - helping the next generation, shaping policy, making sure space stays
open for everyone.
INTERVIEWER:
Moon missions and mentoring - not a bad to-do list!
OUTRO
INTERVIEWER:
Commander Sunita Williams, thank you. You've shown us that real adventure is equal parts brains, bravery, and floating
tortillas.
SUNITA:
(Laughs) Thank you! Keep dreaming big - Earth's just one stop on the journey.
