SHAUN. YEAH, YOU KNOW, THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HERE IN NEEDHAM IS NAMED AFTER THE ASTRONAUT SONNY WILLIAMS. HER MOM SAYS THAT TALKING TO KIDS HELPS HER STAY POSITIVE. SHE’S HAPPY IN SPACE. THE PROUD MOM OF AN ASTRONAUT, 83 YEAR OLD BONNIE PANDYA, SAYS SHE TALKS TO HER DAUGHTER ALL THE TIME. SONNY WILLIAMS AND BUTCH WILMORE WENT UP FOR AN EIGHT DAY MISSION, BUT WILL NOW SPEND EIGHT MONTHS ON BOARD THE I.S.S. I’M KIND OF SAD BECAUSE I MISS HER ALREADY. THE RETURN HOME DELAYED DUE TO A LEAK IN THE BOEING STARLINER. INSTEAD, THE CREW WILL RETURN IN 2025 ON A SPACEX CREW DRAGON, BUT THE DELAY DOES NOT WORRY MOM AT ALL. NO, I’M NOT WORRIED. SHE’S TRAINED FOR THIS FOR 20 YEARS. THIS IS THE LIFE OF AN ASTRONAUT, YOU KNOW. AND THE ASTRONAUTS FAMILY, THEY WILL MISS HOLIDAYS AND BIRTHDAYS, BUT PLAN TO CELEBRATE WITH HER ON EARTH AND SUNNY IN THE STARS. THERE WILL BE MORE OF THOSE. THERE’S ONLY GOING TO BE ONE FLIGHT. WHAT IS SHE DOING TO STAY POSITIVE UP IN SPACE? OH, SHE TALKS TO KIDS ALL OVER THE WORLD, TALKING TO KIDS. HER FAMILY AND HER DOGS. HELPS HER STAY GROUNDED. MOM. EVEN WROTE A BOOK ABOUT SUNNY’S SPACE ADVENTURES AND HER DOGS WAITING FOR HER BACK HOME. WHAT’S THE FIRST THING THAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO WHEN YOU FINALLY GET TO SEE YOUR DAUGHTER AGAIN? GIVE HER A BIG HUG AND HOLD HER IN MY ARMS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO EVERYBODY WHO IS WISHING YOU ALL WELL? OH MY GOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. YOU’RE IN MY HEART. ALL OF YOU. WITH THE WORLD WATCHING AND PRAYING FOR HER AND HER FAMILY, SHE HAS THIS MESSAGE TO HER DAUGHTER IN SPACE. OH, SUNNY, YOU KNOW MOM LOVES YOU SO MUCH. SHAUN CHAIYABHAT JUST KE
Mass. astronaut’s mission extended months beyond plan, but mom remains unfazed
Astronaut Suni Williams, a Needham, Massachusetts, native, originally planned to retire after one final mission to space. However, that mission has been extended by several months due to unforeseen circumstances. Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, launched for what was initially an eight-day mission on the International Space Station. However, a leak in the Boeing Starliner has postponed their return, extending their stay on the ISS to eight months. Instead of returning on the Starliner, the crew will come back to Earth in 2025 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon.Despite the delay, her mother, Bonnie Pandya, says her daughter is doing well and remains in high spirits.”She’s doing great. She’s happy in space,” the 85-year-old Pandya said.Pandya said her daughter has been training for such situations for over 20 years. “This is the life of an astronaut and an astronaut’s family.”While the delay means that Williams will miss holidays and birthdays, her mother said that Williams stays positive by talking to her children, family, and even her dogs. “She talks to kids all over the world, and it helps her stay grounded,” Pandya said.The family is planning to celebrate holidays with Williams from afar. “There’ll be more holidays, but there’s only gonna be one flight,” Pandya said.Pandya has even written a book about her daughter’s space adventures and how her dogs are waiting for her back home. She looks forward to the day she can reunite with Williams. “The first thing I’m going to do is give her a big hug and hold her in my arms,” Pandya said.
Astronaut Suni Williams, a Needham, Massachusetts, native, originally planned to retire after one final mission to space.
However, that mission has been extended by several months due to unforeseen circumstances.
Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, launched for what was initially an eight-day mission on the International Space Station. However, a leak in the Boeing Starliner has postponed their return, extending their stay on the ISS to eight months.
Instead of returning on the Starliner, the crew will come back to Earth in 2025 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon.
Despite the delay, her mother, Bonnie Pandya, says her daughter is doing well and remains in high spirits.
“She’s doing great. She’s happy in space,” the 85-year-old Pandya said.
Pandya said her daughter has been training for such situations for over 20 years. “This is the life of an astronaut and an astronaut’s family.”
While the delay means that Williams will miss holidays and birthdays, her mother said that Williams stays positive by talking to her children, family, and even her dogs.
“She talks to kids all over the world, and it helps her stay grounded,” Pandya said.
The family is planning to celebrate holidays with Williams from afar. “There’ll be more holidays, but there’s only gonna be one flight,” Pandya said.
Pandya has even written a book about her daughter’s space adventures and how her dogs are waiting for her back home.
She looks forward to the day she can reunite with Williams. “The first thing I’m going to do is give her a big hug and hold her in my arms,” Pandya said.