‘I’d Love To Go To Space Again, But My Husband Would Kill Me’: Sunita Williams On Retirement And Letting Go

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who recently announced her retirement after a 27-year career, said she would have loved to travel to space again but was happy to see a new generation of astronauts doing “wonderful jobs”. Speaking in Kerala, she reflected on her long journey in space, the unexpected challenges she faced on her last mission, and her optimism about India’s growing space ambitions.

Sunita is in Kozhikode to attend the ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival. Speaking candidly, she mixed humour with reflection while looking back at her career. “I would love to go to space again, but my husband would kill me. I have some things to do at home,” she said, as reported by The Indian Express. She added that it was exciting to watch young astronauts take charge and push the boundaries further.

Still drawn to space, but ready to step aside

The astronaut also spoke at length about the nine months she and her crewmate Butch Wilmore were forced to spend on the International Space Station due to technical problems with an experimental capsule. What was meant to be a routine mission turned into a test of patience, teamwork and adaptability.

“We were trying to participate in as much as we could, as well as being productive members on the space station,” she said. With two extra people aboard, everyday logistics became more demanding. “We were extra crewmates up there. We were eating a lot of food, and we were using the bathroom quite a bit. So, obviously, food needs to be stocked, and the bathroom needs to be cleaned when all other experiments and other things are going on,” she said, underlining that even in space, unglamorous work matters.

A team sport, even in the toughest moments

As months passed, Williams said it became clear that returning home soon was unlikely. “As the summer rolled in, it was becoming more clear that we probably were not going home. Then it’s time to focus on being crew members up there,” she said, stressing that life aboard the space station is a team effort. In her words, space travel is “a team sport”, and every member has to contribute, no matter the role.

She also recalled the moment when other astronauts made way so that she and Wilmore could return. Two seats were kept empty for them on the spacecraft that finally brought them back. Williams described it as a “huge event” for those who had trained for years, yet chose to step aside. Her remarks revealed not just gratitude, but also her belief that sacrifice and cooperation are central to space exploration.

Looking ahead, Williams expressed confidence in India’s space programme. She said she was excited to see ideas turning into reality and felt India was moving steadily forward. As the country becomes more involved internationally while strengthening its own capabilities, she said, India is likely to send people to space before too long. Her words carried both encouragement and quiet admiration, fitting for someone who knows that progress in space, like on Earth, comes from patience, teamwork and belief in the next generation.