Sunita Williams, the India-origin spacewoman who retired after a 27-year career, has shared the emotional highs and lows of life orbiting hundreds of km above Earth. In a podcast interview with Raj Shamani, the NASA astronaut revealed that she has cried in space.
Asked if she ever cried in space, Williams said, “Oh, absolutely.”
“I missed people, and I missed my dog. Of course I cried,” she said. She explained that life in space brings a mix of emotions.
Williams' International Space Station (ISS) mission in June 2024 aboard Boeing's Starliner was initially planned for seven to 10 days, but technical problems with the spacecraft kept her aboard for about 286 days before she finally returned to Earth in March 2025.
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She recalled, “A friend of mine, her mom was sick while we were in space. Having those conversations… being a shoulder for someone even from space… that's hard. You help them, and at the same time, you have to manage your own feelings. Everyone experiences normal emotions, here as in there.”
How Tears Work In Space
Shamani then asked, “What happens when you cry in space?”
“Everything, water, all around you just sort of balls up on you,” Williams explained.
“Same with sweating when you work out: the fluid doesn't fall, it just floats. You need a couple of tissues because your eyes get really watery. You have to manage it carefully, or you'll end up like a fish in an aquarium.”
Challenges Of Using The Bathroom In Space
On using the bathroom, Williams said there was “so much bad about it.”
She explained the difficulties caused by zero gravity, “First, you have to overcome the fear: things aren't going to fall down. You just have to commit, turn the hose on, and it takes care of everything. Your body also has to get used to using the right muscles to push everything out correctly. You wait until you're ready, then just go.”
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India From Orbit
Williams also described how India looks from orbit, sharing vivid impressions with Shamani. “At night, India is spectacular because the cities are lit up,” she said. “It's white lights, and they seem connected. It's almost like nerves, like pictures people show when there's a nerve problem. Everything is interconnected. India looks very connected with lights at night.”
During the day, she marveled at India's landscapes: “The Himalayas are amazing, you can see where the tectonic plates bumped into each other and made the mountains. The coasts are cool, especially on the east side, where the rivers run off and create beautiful colours and swirls in the water.”
