Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended a warm welcome to astronaut Sunita Williams and the NASA Crew-9 team following their return to Earth after an extended space expedition aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi lauded their perseverance and courage, stating, “Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you. Theirs has been a test of grit, courage, and the boundless human spirit. Sunita Williams and the #Crew9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance truly means. Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown will forever inspire millions.”
PM Modi also acknowledged the efforts of the teams who ensured the astronauts’ safe return, praising their dedication to technological excellence.
“Space exploration is about pushing the limits of human potential, daring to dream, and having the courage to turn those dreams into reality. Sunita Williams, a trailblazer and an icon, has exemplified this spirit throughout her career. We are incredibly proud of all those who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return. They have demonstrated what happens when precision meets passion and technology meets tenacity,” he added.
Williams, along with fellow astronauts Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, breathed Earth’s air for the first time in over nine months after their successful splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast.
As per NASA protocols, the astronauts were assisted off the capsule on stretchers, a precautionary measure after prolonged space missions.
Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov had been in space since September 2024, but Williams and Wilmore’s mission lasted even longer. Originally planned as a short-duration flight, their journey stretched beyond nine months due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner capsule, delaying their return.
With their safe arrival back on Earth, Williams and her team have once again etched their names in the history of human spaceflight, serving as an inspiration for future generations of explorers.
