Hyderabad, Sep 28 (IANS) American astronaut of Indian origin Sunita Willams drove into Cyberabad Friday on the outskirts of this city to a rousing reception by hundreds of delegates participating in the 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC).
As soon as the US naval officer and NASA astronaut entered the precincts of the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, where the IAC is being held, there was a round of applause and a bit of commotion with television crews and paparazzi vying for a better glimpse of Sunita. She was welcomed by the hosts with a traditional aarti and vermillion (bindi) mark on her beaming face.
Among the first to meet Sunita was Indian cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma. They exchanged notes on their respective trips to space.
About 2,000-odd Indian and overseas delegates from 45 countries and hundreds of school and college students from the twin cities eagerly waited to listen to Sunita share her experiences of spinning in the earth orbit for over six months on board the International Space Station (ISS).
A security ring around the venue guarded her movements. She has a packed schedule during her daylong stay here.
After a luncheon meeting with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G. Madhavan Nair and select representatives of global space agencies, the 42-year-old astronaut will address the youth, including 300 students from space-faring countries participating in the space summit as special delegates on ‘Living and working aboard the ISS’.
“Sunita will narrate her experiences on the once-in-a-lifetime adventure she embarked upon early this year to spend a record 195 days in space, the longest stay by a female astronaut. She will also give an account of living and working in the ISS and field queries from students on the challenges she faced and the tasks she accomplished in outer space,” an IAC official told IANS.
Later, Sunita will give a special lecture on ‘The ISS: An Historic Achievement and International Cooperative Success’ at a technical session.
The ISS, which has been in orbit since 1988, has become a home away from home for astronauts and cosmonauts over the last seven years.
Sunita is also scheduled to address the media before leaving the venue later in the evening.