- Ex-NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino described India as one of the most breathtaking sights from the ISS at night
- New Delhi and Mumbai city lights appeared spectacular and magical from space at night
- Massimino visited India in February and engaged with students at PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya
A former NASA astronaut has shed some light on how India looks from orbit. Describing it as one of the most breathtaking sights he witnessed from the International Space Station (ISS), Mike Massimino explained in a podcast that certain parts of the world appeared brighter from space, and India was one of them, especially at night.
Asked about the regions that stood out from space, the space veteran said, "India is very beautiful." The country's metropolitan cities, such as New Delhi and Mumbai, looked extraordinary as stars filled the sky, he said.
"At night, it gets really cool and magical... You see city lights like Mumbai or New Delhi... It's spectacular," he said.
Mr Massimino further revealed that his first trip to India happened just a few months ago, and he felt an immediate connection.
Mr Massimino visited India on February 27 and engaged with students at PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in New Delhi. He also explored the school's facilities, including the AR-VR Lab, Atal Tinkering Lab, language lab, etc, and praised India's Chandrayaan-3 mission.
During his India tour, he even visited the iconic Humayun's Tomb, a 16th-century Mughal-era mausoleum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in New Delhi.
Earlier, in April, Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams also reminisced about flying over the Himalayas. When asked how India looked from space, she said, "Amazing, just amazing."
"India is amazing. Every time we went over the Himalayas, Butch (Wilmore, fellow astronaut) got incredible pictures; it is just amazing," said Ms Williams.
During the day, one can see India's geographical features, highlighted by the Himalayas, she said, adding India looked stunning from space - a rich blend of colours, fishing boats off the coast and the network of lights all over the country.
