PM Modi hailed the return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, calling their ordeal a “test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit.”
Hours after NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams returned to Earth after being stuck in space for over nine months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the duo, calling their stay a test of grit, courage and the boundless human spirit.
PM Modi posted on X, “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 will forever inspire millions.”
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
The Prime Minister said that 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,” he said in his X post.
NASA Sunita Williams SpaceX Crew-9 Return LIVE Updates
Welcoming back the two veteran NASA astronauts, PM Narendra Modi said, “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.”
President Murmu congratulates Sunita Williams
President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated NASA astronaut Sunita Williams for her safe return to Earth after being stuck on the ISS for nine months.
“Congratulations to the entire team behind the safe return of NASA’s Crew 9 mission on Earth! India’s daughter Sunita Williams and her fellow astronauts have inspired everyone with their perseverance, dedication and never-say-die spirit. Their historic journey is a tale of determination, teamwork and extraordinary courage. I salute their unwavering resolve and wish them excellent health!” the President posted on X.
Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore’s rescue mission
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were on a Boeing Starliner spacecraft to test its maiden crewed voyage in June 2024. The two veteran scientists were supposed to go on a space expedition spanning little over a week, but after reaching the International Space Station (ISS), their spacecraft malfunctioned.
Boeing Starliner suffered propulsion issues and was deemed unfit to fly the two astronauts back to Earth after their expedition. Since June last year, both Williams and Wilmore had been residing on the ISS, waiting for a replacement spacecraft to take them home.
Even though both the astronauts were stuck in space for nine months, NASA decided not to rush the rescue mission but rather reassign the pair to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which arrived at the ISS last September. The Crew 9 mission, which was originally meant to carry four astronauts, was redesigned to carry only two in order to accommodate Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore during their journey back to Earth.
