After nearly three decades as an astronaut, Sunita Williams still finds it hard to forget what truly stood out beyond Earth.
In a recent podcast conversation with Raj Shamani, the India-origin American astronaut reflected on the two most unexpected sights she witnessed during her missions. One unfolded slowly over time. The other appeared in brief, electric flashes far above thunderstorms.
A crowded orbit around Earth. NASA astronaut Sunita Williams recently retired after a 27-year career
First, Williams pointed to the sheer number of satellites now circling the planet.
During her 608 days in space, including a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station, she watched Earth’s orbit grow increasingly busy.
“What really surprised me was how many communication satellites are up there now,” she said. “It’s impressive because it helps people stay connected. At the same time, it makes you realise just how much we’ve filled the space around our planet.”
Over her career, Williams completed nine spacewalks lasting more than 62 hours, the most by any woman astronaut. That extended time outside the station gave her a clear view of how satellite constellations expanded year after year.
Lightning above the storms
Then there were the moments that felt almost unreal.
Williams described seeing rare upper-atmospheric lightning events known as Transient Luminous Events, including blue jets and red sprites. Unlike ordinary lightning, these bursts of energy shoot upward from storm clouds into the upper atmosphere.
“You can’t really see them clearly with your eyes,” she explained. “But the cameras onboard captured these incredible images of energy coming out of thunderclouds.”
Astronauts Don Pettit, Matt Dominick, and later Nicole Ayers photographed the phenomena while the station passed over parts of Mexico and the United States. The high-resolution images revealed shapes and colours rarely observed from the ground.
A front-row seat to rare moments
Williams said sharing space with astronauts who were skilled photographers made the experience even more special.
“I was lucky to be up there with people who knew exactly how to capture those moments,” she said. “Those pictures are out there now, and they’re amazing.”
Looking back, Williams sees these sights as reminders of two parallel realities. One reflects humanity’s growing presence beyond Earth. The other reveals how much of the planet’s beauty remains hidden, only visible from far above.
Photo: IIT Delhi/X
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