‘Our future together couldn’t be brighter’: Sunita Williams’s special message from ISS on India-US space collaborations

“India and the US have had much success working together to explore the stars. And our future together could not be brighter,” Williams said in a special video to the US embassy in Delhi on America’s Independence Day.

Currently, Williams is aboard the ISS, where she has been stranded for nearly a month due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Despite these challenges, she remains positive about the ongoing and future joint space missions.

Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for a show-stopping moment! Straight from the International Space Station, we had a special message from the incredible astronauts @Astro_Suni, Tracy Dyson, and @Astro_Jeanette for our space-themed national day celebration in New Delhi last… pic.twitter.com/PsG56LlzVB

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 11, 2024

“NASA and the ISRO continue to work toward the launch of NISAR, which will launch from India this year to measure changes in our planet’s surface,” she noted. The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission is a significant collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), aiming to provide crucial data on Earth’s changing ecosystems, natural hazards, and climate.

Williams also mentioned that she is looking forward to the growing ties between the two countries in astronaut training as ISRO is collaborating with NASA on a joint project to send an Indian astronaut to space.

“After returning to Earth, we look forward to meeting Indian astronauts training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Our partnership with India and the countries around the world will help expand humanity’s reach for the sky,” she said.

Joining Williams in the message were her fellow astronauts Tracy C Dyson and Jeanette J Epps, who also underscored the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.