Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the duo, saying their “stay is a true test of grit, courage and boundless human spirit” and hours after NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams landed back on Earth after spending more than nine months stuck in space.
“Welcome back, #Crew9! PM Modi wrote on X. The Earth missed you. Theirs has been a test of grit, courage and the limitless human spirit. Thank you Sunita Williams and the #Crew9 astronauts for displaying to us all what is perseverance. Their unyielding resolve in the face of uncertainty will inspire millions for generations to come.”
Space exploration is, he said, about pushing the limits of human capacity, daring to dream, and having the bravery to make those dreams and visions a reality.
“Sunita Williams, a pioneer and an icon, has embodied this spirit her entire career,” he said in his post on X.
Greeting the two veteran NASA astronauts’ return, PM Narendra Modi said, “We are immensely proud of everyone who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return. They have shown us what happens when precision kisses passion and technology kisses tenacity.”
Respected President Murmu congratulates Sunita Williams
President Droupadi Murmu also extended his congratulations to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on her safe return to Earth after spending nine-months on the ISS.
“Congrats to everyone involved in the safe return of NASA’s Crew 9 mission on Earth! Sunita Williams, daughter of India, and her fellow astronauts are an inspiration to all of with their perseverance, dedication and never-say-die attitude. Their historic journey is one of determination, teamwork and remarkablegrit. I salute their indomitable will and pray for their perfect health!” the President posted on X.
Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore’s rescuer
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were bound for a Boeing Starliner space craft store test of its first crew flight in June 2024. The two seasoned scientists were scheduled to embark on a space mission lasting just over a week, but immediately after arriving at the International Space Station (ISS), their spacecraft experienced a malfunction.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft experienced propulsion issues and was ruled unfit to fly to astronauts back to Earth after their mission. Williams and Wilmore had been living on the ISS since June of last year, awaiting a replacement spacecraft to return them home.
Though the astronauts spent nine months stranded in space, NASA moved to delay the rescue mission, instead having the two astronauts launched on SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, arriving to the ISS last September. The original Crew 9 plan called for four members of the Crew 9 mission, but was adjusted to carry only two upon Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore’s return to Earth.
