After a nine month mission, renowned astronaut Sunita Williams prepares to return to Earth. Sunita Williams, the Indian-origin astronaut who has spent nine months in space after what was initially an 8-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in June last year, is finally set to return to Earth. Her stay was unexpectedly extended due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which returned without its crew.
Now, NASA, in collaboration with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will launch a mission on March 12 to bring back the stranded astronauts.
At a recent press conference, Sunita Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore expressed their excitement about returning home. Williams also shared what she will miss the most about her time in space after spending nearly a year aboard the ISS.
In this article let’s explore through Sunita William’s experiences and try to understand what its like to live in space. Let’s dive in.
Being a big fan of space movies, I was always wondering what it’s like to live in space? Floating weightlessly, eating and sleeping in zero gravity and the most interesting aspect of space life – watching our beautiful planet from a tiny window of our spaceship. It all sounds very fascinating, but in reality the things are much more complex. Space travel isn’t just about breathtaking views or exciting thrills and chills, it’s about adapting to an entirely new way of life.
To truly understand what living in space is like, let’s explore the journey of Sunita Williams, a proud astronaut from Indian origin and one of NASA’s most accomplished astronauts. Sunita Williams born in 1965, she has 322 days of living aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to her credit. She conducted multiple spacewalks and she is the first to run a marathon in orbit. Her experiences give us a real sense of what it takes to live in the space outside our beautiful planet.
Adjusting to Zero Gravity
The first thing astronauts must get used to in space is the absence of gravity. Imagine waking up and realizing you’re floating—you can’t just stand up and walk; instead, you have to push off surfaces and glide through the station. Williams has often shared how astronauts quickly learn to secure everything they use because objects don’t stay put like they do on Earth. If you let go of something, it could drift away and disappear into a corner.
A day in Space
Life on the International Space Station is not simple. The astronauts follow a strict schedule. Each morning the astronauts use wet wipes and no rinse shampoo to freshen up. The breakfast comes in vacuum sealed packets. They use straws in pouches to prevent liquid from floating away. Exercise is very crucial in space. Without gravity muscles and bones weaken. Williams mentioned in one of her interviews that she and her colleagues work out for about two hours a day. They use specially designed treadmills and resistance machines. In 2007, she took this to another level by running the Boston Marathon in space, using a harness to stay on the treadmill while the ISS orbited Earth.
Sleeping among the stars
Have you ever tried sleeping under the sky full of countless stars? If not, try it once. But what does it feel like to sleep among the stars? Let’s explore. I have seen in many sci-fi movies that astronauts use a sleeping bag. It’s not that simple. Astronauts zip themselves into sleeping bags attached to the walls. Suniita Williams has described how strange it felt initially. Eventually astronauts adapt to floating while they rest. Another big challenge is the constant sunrise and sunset. The space station orbits earth every 90 minutes. Astronauts experience 16 sunrises and sunsets a day. Wow. Isn’t it wonderful. To maintain a normal sleep schedule, astronauts rely on artificial lighting to mimic a 24-hour day.
Eating in Space: A Different Experience
Sunita Williams explained Astronauts can’t have regular meals the way we do on Earth. Crumbs can be dangerous because they float around and could damage equipment or even be inhaled. That’s why they prefer tortillas over bread. They store dehydrated meals and rehydrate with water before consuming. Sunita Williams has shared how much astronauts look forward to supplying missions that bring fresh food. Something like a small piece of fruit feels like a luxury in space.
Hygiene in Space : Stay clean without running water
Washing up in space is a creative process. Astronauts need to brush their teeth with minimum water and swallow the toothpaste. Spitting it out may damage the equipment. Astronauts recycle sweat and humidity to use it as drinking water. Nothing goes to waste on the spaceship. Sunita Williams once demonstrated how she washed her hair using a small pouch of water and a comb.
The Thrill & Challenges of Spacewalks
One of the most thrilling experiences of living in space is Spacewalk. Astronauts perform spacewalks to repair or upgrade while floating in the vastness of space. Sunita Williams has spent over 50 hours outside the ISS. She has described the experience as breathtaking and also incredibly demanding. Being weightless is not easy. Every movement has to be carefully controlled. Even the smallest error could be dangerous.
Effects of Space on Time and aging
Time in space moves slightly differently that it does on Earth. Thanks to Einstein’s theory of relativity. The space station travels at an average speed of 28,000 km/hr. This means the astronauts on board experience time dilation – a phenomenon where time moves slightly slower for them compared to ours on earth. This effect is incredibly small, just a fraction of a second over the course of a year.
Another interesting part is aging. Without the constant pull of Earth’s gravity, certain biological processes change. Astronauts experience bone density loss, muscle atrophy and changes in cardiovascular function. This mimics accelerated aging. The best part is these effects are usually reversible once they return to earth.
The emotional side of Space Travel
It is very challenging for astronauts to spend months in space in isolation. Staying away from family, friends and all the comforts of Earth is the most challenging part of space travel. They feel lonely even though they stay connected with their family and friends through video calls and emails. Sunita Williams has spoken about how looking at earth from the ISS brings a deep sense of appreciation of our planet.
Sunita William’s favourite part aboard the ISS is the Cupola Window. From this spot she could gaze down at Earth. She, like many astronauts, has said that this view is a reminder of how fragile and beautiful our planet is in the vast universe.
Final Thoughts
Sunita Williams and othe Astronauts space journey teaches us that life in space is about more than just science and adventure. Its about human adaptability to change, discipline and resilience. Now Sunita Williams is prepared to return to Earth with many more such experiences.
With all these collective experiences, space travel is challenging but it is also an incredible opportunity to push the boundaries of what we are capable of. With the fast growth of technology and efforts of SpaceX, perhaps, space living won’t just be for astronauts but for all of us.
Let’s wait and watch. Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.
