Listen to Sunita Williams’s life in space

• Sunita Williams wanted to become a vet

• Spurred by the brother Naval Academy joined became pilot

Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams never dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She wanted to become an animal doctor. This was his childhood dream. Sunita Williams said that I did not think of becoming an astronaut in my childhood. As a child, I was very fond of swimming because I was an athlete. I loved animals very much. That’s why I wanted to become a Veterinary Doctor. To tell the truth, I did not get admission in the colleges where I wanted to study. Sunita Williams said all these things related to her life during a webinar with Shrijan Pal Singh of APJ Abdul Kalam Center.

Narrating her story, Sunita further said that after not getting admission, my elder brother showed me the way and suggested that why don’t you think of Navy and Naval Academy? I also thought why not do it. In this way I joined the Naval Academy and Navy and I became a pilot. This was not my first choice. I wanted to be a diver because I was a swimmer and that was my second choice. Then I wanted to become a jet pilot but I became a helicopter pilot. That means another choice was received again.

Talking about herself, Sunita further said that I came to NASA in 1998. I went to space in late 2006. Meanwhile, I got a chance to go to space for a short time in 2002. But unfortunately in early 2003, the Columbia accident happened. We lost our friends. Kalpana Chawla was also there. This brought the shuttle program to a complete halt. We did not know whether we would ever be able to go into space by shuttle or not and when we had a great partnership with the Russians, all this happened. To be honest, when the investigation took place and then it was our turn to go to space. I also got a chance to take training to go to the shuttle, even then it seemed like it is a dream.

Regarding his space flight, he further said that even on the day we entered the space craft, it seemed imaginary which we had practiced many times and did not seem real. Not until the main engines were commissioned. When we go to space, it takes only 10 minutes or so from where you start circling the earth, even in the space craft in which you are. I do not remember the exact time but when flying up came up. When I saw the other part of the earth, it was absolutely incredible. blue and white.

Sunita Williams further said that I spent a whole year in space. We keep the routine of the earth there too. We run on Greenwich Mean Time, which is the time of Europe. There are two reasons for this. This gives our flight controllers half a day of time while people are sitting in Mission Control Houston. Half a day gets flight controllers of Moscow. In Europe it is a normal day for flight controllers. Generally we have lunch alone. Everybody eats something. Nevertheless, we all gather together at dinner time. Usually we conference on planning which is with the mission control centers of the earth. We also watch TV at the space station.

Talking about his routine in the space, Sunit said that I used to eat Indian food upstairs. But with rice and bread. Used to take pictures of the earth in the evening in free time. Used to exercise Because it is very important to keep the body fit in that place. We had to exercise for two hours every day in order to lose weight and keep bones strong. Used to exercise for the heart so that it would work properly. There was an internet protocol phone with which we used to call our house. There was a video conferencing facility that allowed us to see people at our home.

He further said that when I ran a marathon in space, my weight was slightly less than what it is now. Then I had lost a bit of weight. So it was easy for me. But four and a half hours on a treadmill is not less. There is pain in your shoulders and hips. I walked 50 hours in space. This is a matter of routine and practice. It needs to be physically and mentally strong.

Sunita Williams shared her experience and said that every one and a half hours we were taking a round of the earth, which used to be 45 minutes a day. 45 minutes night. So when we opened the hatch it was night, so I lit the light above my suit. And I wanted to get involved in work immediately but when the sun came out and I saw the earth moving below me, my eyes were torn that oh my God… and I started thinking about where I am and what I am doing.