‘Everything will be fine’: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams tells her mother from space

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams along with Butch Wilmore will have to stay in space till February 2025. Family members of Williams, including her mother and husband, have opened up about the situation. Williams’ mother Bonnie Pandya told News Nation Now that her daughter has asked her ‘not to worry’ and that ‘everything is going to be okay’ during her recent call with her from space.

She said, “She told me not to worry about her. Everything’s going to be fine.” When asked if she is actually worried about her return and spending a long time is space, she noted, “I’ve been an astronaut mom for 20 years, and this is her third flight. Even though it was, you know, it has a problem, we still don’t feel that there’s a big problem. They just want to be sure that … they’re safe coming back. So that’s why they decided to keep them up there.”

Notably, Pandya has written a book, include “Little Tail, Big Tales: The Adventures of an Astronaut’s Dog, Gorby and His Two and Four Legged Friends” in 2022, about her daughter going up to space.

In an interview with TMZ, she said that she is relieved that NASA is not rushing her return. She said, “Honestly, I’m relieved they didn’t rush her return. There have already been two shuttle accidents, and I wouldn’t want that to happen to my daughter—or anyone else, for that matter. So, I believe it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Pandya added that she misses her as she is her best friend, she said, “I miss her—she’s my best friend, and we had plans to do things together. But I understand.”

Williams’ husband Daniele Williams recently told Wall Street Journal that she is in her “happy place”.

Williams and Wilmore will make their way back to Earth in February 2025 in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Boeing Starliner has several faulty thrusters and witnesses helium leaks making it unfit for astronauts. Hence, Starliner will make it back to Earth uncrewed.