PM Modi Welcomes Sunita Williams and Crew-9 Astronauts After Nine-Month Space Mission
New Delhi, March 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm welcome to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow Crew-9 members upon their return to Earth after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Prime Minister lauded their perseverance, courage, and dedication to space exploration, emphasizing that their journey serves as an inspiration to millions worldwide.
“Welcome back, Crew-9! The Earth missed you,” PM Modi expressed in a heartfelt message on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging the astronauts’ prolonged mission and the challenges they endured.
The four-member Crew-9 team, consisting of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, safely landed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, early Wednesday. Their return was facilitated by SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, marking the end of an extended and unforeseen stay in space.
Originally scheduled as a short-duration test mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, the astronauts found themselves stranded in orbit for over nine months due to helium leaks and thruster failures that rendered their spacecraft unsafe for return. As a result, the Starliner capsule was sent back without them in September 2024, while Williams and Wilmore remained aboard the ISS until an alternative return plan was executed.
Recognizing their resilience, PM Modi stated, “Theirs has been a test of grit, courage, and the boundless human spirit. Sunita Williams and the Crew-9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance truly means. Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown will forever inspire millions.”
Highlighting the significance of space exploration, the Prime Minister remarked that it is about “pushing the limits of human potential, daring to dream, and having the courage to turn those dreams into reality.” He hailed Sunita Williams as a trailblazer and an icon, noting that her career has been a testament to this spirit.
PM Modi also expressed his gratitude to the teams at NASA, Roscosmos, SpaceX, and Boeing, who worked tirelessly to ensure the astronauts’ safe return. “They have demonstrated what happens when precision meets passion and technology meets tenacity,” he said.
The successful return of Crew-9 marks another milestone in human spaceflight, reaffirming the unwavering spirit of astronauts and scientists committed to advancing space exploration.
