The people of Jhulasan, a village in Gujarat and the hometown of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, erupted in celebration on Wednesday as they welcomed her safe return to Earth. The villagers performed aarti and offered prayers following her nearly nine-month-long mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The excitement began as the Dragon spacecraft successfully splashed down, bringing Williams back alongside her fellow Crew-9 astronauts Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Prior to her arrival, her cousin Dinesh Rawal had organized a Yagna in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, seeking blessings for her safe return.
After spending months in microgravity, the astronauts finally breathed Earth’s air again. As per SpaceX’s standard procedure, they were carefully assisted onto stretchers upon disembarkation to help them adjust to Earth’s gravity.
SpaceX officially confirmed the splashdown, welcoming back the astronauts. Soon after landing, Nick Hague radioed mission control, conveying excitement despite slight audio disruptions. “The crew is grinning ear to ear,” he shared, as reported by CNN.
SpaceX celebrated the successful return on social media, posting, “Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, Nick, Suni, Butch, and Aleks!” NASA’s Sandra Jones described the scene, highlighting the calm and glass-like ocean that greeted the crew.
The journey back to Earth began when the astronauts boarded the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and departed the ISS at 1:05 am ET. Williams’ safe return is being celebrated not just by space enthusiasts worldwide but also by the people of Gujarat, who take immense pride in her achievements.
