“There is no conspiracy theory here. NASA is not keeping Sunita Williams in space. Sunita Williams’ return was delayed due to a technical glitch, but on March 19, they will be safely back home. In fact, we are using this opportunity to explore space further,” Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay, Senior Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Visiting Professor at Caltech said on NASA’s Sunita Williams stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) at ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2025 in Mumbai, today.
Against the backdrop of India’s growing leadership in space exploration, Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay, exploring humanity’s latest discoveries in the quest to understand the universe, said, “Can life exist outside of Earth? The answer is yes. But we have not found life outside of Earth; not even a single cell. But with 400 billion stars and the majority having planets revolving around them, the probability of life existing beyond Earth is there. Our goal is to find a planet where life is sustainable.”
Speaking at the session ‘Adventures in Space – Our Place in the Universe,’ Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay, added, “We search for the unknown with the knowledge of the known. But we don’t even know what kind of life could start or where it may exist. That is what we are trying to figure out. The best place to live a happy life in this universe is our Earth. Why should we go live on Mars? We can send you there if you want, but it’s a one-way ticket.”
Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay also spoke on India’s unmatched potential in the global landscape, stating, “ISRO and NASA are collaborating on a project right now. ISRO is doing great and executing successful missions.”
Talking about how astronomy is different from astrology, Dr. Goutam Chattopadhyay said, “Astronomy truly opens up your vision to the universe and it is a big mystery that we are trying to solve.”
ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2025, centred on the theme ‘Humanity’s Next Frontier’, will bring together thought leaders and innovators to explore the challenges and opportunities in India’s ascendance in a rapidly changing world. In the face of climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and technological advancements such as AI, the summit delved into India’s role as both an ancient civilisation and a demographic powerhouse in shaping the future. The two-day summit brought together a confluence of ideas from global thought leaders, intellectuals, and change-makers, covering transformative possibilities in science, medicine, social contracts, and global leadership, with experts from diverse fields offering bold visions of a better, more sustainable world for all.
