Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered a heartfelt welcome to Sunita Williams, a renowned astronaut of Indian descent, as she safely landed back on Earth in SpaceX’s Dragon capsule after a remarkable 9-month mission. “Welcome back, Crew9! The Earth missed you,” Modi shared on X.
Expressing admiration for their courage, Modi commended Sunita and her fellow astronauts for their unyielding perseverance in the vast expanse of space. He emphasized that their commitment in the face of the unknown would inspire countless people worldwide.
According to Modi, space exploration embodies humanity’s drive to push boundaries, turning bold dreams into achievements. Sunita Williams, in particular, exemplified this spirit with her pioneering journey. He also praised the dedicated teams who worked relentlessly to ensure the astronauts’ safe return, highlighting the synergy between precision, passion, and tenacity in space missions.
The astronauts, including NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, touched down off Florida’s coast at 3:27 AM IST, after overcoming a delayed mission caused by a technical glitch. Sunita Williams, a former US Navy captain, was born to a Gujarati father and Slovenian mother in Euclid, Ohio, on September 19, 1965.
