PM Modi Welcomes Sunita Williams and Crew-9 Astronauts: 'Earth Missed You'

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] March 19: The return of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams to Earth was celebrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also said that the success of Crew-9 astronauts "shows us what perseverance truly means."

"NASA's Crew-9 mission has been a test of grit, courage, and the boundless human spirit," the prime minister stated.  “Sunita Williams and the #Crew9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance truly means.  Their unwavering determination in the face of the huge unknown will eternally inspire millions,” PM Modi wrote on X.

"Exploring space means pushing the boundaries of human potential, dreaming big, and having the guts to make those dreams come true.  Sunita Williams, a trailblazer and an icon, has exemplified this spirit throughout her career,” he said.

"We are so proud of everyone who put in so much effort to make sure they returned safely.  They have shown what happens when technology and determination are combined with passion and accuracy," Modi continued.

Sunita Williams returned when?

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth after spending over nine months at the International Space Station (ISS) due to unexpected delays.  At 5:57 p.m. ET on Tuesday (3:27 a.m. IST on Wednesday), SpaceX's Dragon Freedom capsule successfully splashed down off the Florida coast close to Tallahassee.

Last June, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore went on an eight-day planned trip to the International Space Station.  They were forced to stay as the Boeing Starliner capsule experienced troubles with its propulsion system.  The pair was the first crew to take a test flight of Boeing's Starliner.  Last September, the malfunctioning capsule made its way back to Earth.

What did Crew-9 achieve in space?

Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams covered more than 121 million statute miles and completed more than 4500 orbits during their 286-day stay aboard the ISS.

 The pair stayed in space for 286 days, which was 278 days longer than they had planned before they launched.  By the time of splashdown, they had flown 121 million miles (195 million km) and made 4,576 orbits around the Earth.

 After completing her third trip, Sunita Williams will have spent 608 days in space overall, which is second only to Peggy Whitson's 675 days as a US astronaut.  Last year, Oleg Kononenko, a Russian cosmonaut, broke a new world record with 878 cumulative days.