Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Sunita Williams and the Crew-9 astronauts as they returned to Earth after over nine months of stay in space. “Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you,” PM Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter) along with a picture with Ms Williams. NASA’s Crew-9 returned early Wednesday morning, in SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:27 am (IST).
Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you.
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
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2025
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore flew aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to space on June 5 last year. The eight-day mission turned into a 286-day stay as issues were reported in the Starliner.
PM Modi defined the nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS) as a “test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit.” PM Modi lauded astronauts’ perseverance and determination amid uncertainty.
“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 wrote.
PM Modi further said, “space exploration is about pushing the limits of human potential, daring to dream, and having the courage to turn those dreams into reality. Sunita Williams, a trailblazer and an icon, has exemplified this spirit throughout her career.”
PM Modi also appreciated the team that worked tirelessly to ensure astronauts’ safe return. “We are incredibly proud…They have demonstrated what happens when precision meets passion and technology meets tenacity.”
Sunita Williams’ Journey From Earth To Space And Back
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore flew aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to space on June 5 last year. The two astronauts went on an eight-day mission to the ISS but, on June 6, as Starliner approached the space station, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters. The Starliner was sent back to Earth without the crew.
Later, in August, it was decided to reassign the two astronauts to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. This meant, downsizing the Crew-9 from four to two and dropping NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, previously announced as crewmates, to make space for Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov flew to the space station as commander and mission specialist, respectively, as part of a two-crew member flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon.
Today, after over nine months, the Crew-9 team returned to earth.
After a 17-hour-long journey, the spacecraft deployed its parachute before a splashdown in the ocean off the coast of Florida.