Sunita Williams' mother unfazed about Astronaut's delayed return to earth: ‘How could I feel sad’

1. Sunita Williams' mother unfazed about Astronaut's delayed return to earth: ‘How could I feel sad’

Sunita Williams' mother unfazed about Astronaut's delayed return to earth: ‘How could I feel sad’ ByHT News Desk Feb 25, 2025 08:17 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Bonnie Pandya dismissed any worries about her daughter as Williams "knows what she is doing" and believed that space was as safe as anywhere else.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ mother Bonnie Pandya recently opened up about her daughter's extended stay at the International Space Station (NSS).

FILE PHOTO: NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Nick Hague, Barry Wilmore, and Donald Pettit unbox Thanksgiving meals, from the International Space Station (ISS), in this screen grab taken from a handout video, released on November 26, 2024.(REUTERS)

Williams, who went to the ISS for an eight-day mission in June 2024, has been stranded there ever since.

In an interview with NewsNation, Pandya seemed unfazed about Williams’ return, saying her daughter and other astronauts feel honoured to be able to go on a long mission.

"It's what they do. They like doing this and they are honoured to be able to go up on a long mission like this and, you know, they feel great about it,” she said in the interview.

Although Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's extended stay was not anticipated and Pandya misses her daughter, she said that such delays happen and that she knows that it will still take some time.

"She's doing what she loves. So how could I feel sad about it or anything? I'm happy for her," the proud mother said.

Bonnie Pandya dismissed any worries about her daughter as Williams "knows what she is doing" and believed that space was as safe as anywhere else.

Bonnie Pandya touched upon the subject of the recent political speculation stirred by SpaceX CEO and DOGE chief Elon Musk about the delay in the return of Sunita Williams' from the International Space Station.

Elon Musk, along with US President Donald Trump, had recently claimed that the Biden administration had left Williams and Butch Wilmore stranded in space.

Pandya dismissed Musk’s claims, saying that they are ‘doing what they normally do’.

"This is science and they're doing what they normally do, and I don't think the two astronauts think it's politicised," She said.

She had earlier expressed relief in an interview last year that Williams’ return wasn't rushed and said that it was ‘better to be safe than sorry’.

Both Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stuck for about eight months due to several technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. NASA has assured that the two astronauts are healthy and are expected to return to Earth on March 19 or 20.