 "‘Earth missed you:’ PM Modi greets Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore following successful return")
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (March 19) greeted American astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore for their return to the Earth following their prolonged stay at the International Space Station (ISS).
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the two Nasa astronauts, along with astronaut Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, landed off Florida’s Gulf Coast near Tallahassee.
PM Modi in a post on X said their “unwavering determination” will forever inspire millions.
“Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you,” the PM posted.
Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2025
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… pic.twitter.com/FkgagekJ7C
“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,” he further wrote.
“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.”
The space journey of the two astronauts was originally planned for just eight days but it was extended several times following technical malfunction that prevented their spacecraft from making a safe return.
Earlier, officials from Nasa confirmed their safe recovery following their touchdown.
“Splashdown! Good mains release,” astronaut Hague radioed SpaceX flight controllers in Hawthorne, California, after the four main parachutes were released from the Dragon.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“What a ride,” Hague said. “I see a capsule full of grins, ear to ear.”
Ahead of their homecoming, PM Modi earlier penned a heartfelt letter to Sunita Williams, extending her an invitation to visit India.
“Even though you are thousands of miles away, you continue to remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission,” Narendra Modi wrote in the letter which was shared by Union minister Jitendra Singh on X.
Notably, Sunita Williams has a deep India connection. Her father, Deepak Pandya, was born in a small village in Gujarat, PM Modi’s home state.
Williams has on several occasions spoken proudly about her Indian roots and shared how Indian culture has shaped her perspective. As per media reports, she once carried a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, an idol of Lord Ganesha, and sacred Ganga Jal to one of her space missions.
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