NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to Earth after an extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their journey back in a SpaceX capsule concludes a dramatic nine-month ordeal that began with a problematic Boeing Starliner test flight.
Williams and Wilmore, who have been aboard the ISS since last spring, left the station early this morning with two other astronauts. Their SpaceX capsule has splash down off the Florida coast.
Originally launched on Boeing’s Starliner for a short test mission on June 5, persistent technical issues forced NASA to return Starliner empty. The astronauts were then transferred to SpaceX's Crew Dragon, with further delays pushing their return to March.
With their replacements arriving on last week, NASA decided on an early departure due to worsening weather. Williams and Wilmore, along with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived last fall aboard a SpaceX capsule, left the ISS. The two vacant seats on the capsule had been reserved for the Starliner duo.
PM Modi's letter to NASA's Sunita Williams: “Excited to welcome you”
Before her mission aboard the ISS with SpaceX, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a heartfelt letter to NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, inviting her to visit India.
“Though you are thousands of miles away, you remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission,” Modi wrote in the letter, shared by Union Minister Jitendra Singh on X.
“Ms Bonnie Pandya must be eagerly awaiting your return, and I’m sure the blessings of the late Deepakbhai are with you as well. I fondly remember meeting him with you during my visit to the United States in 2016. After your return, we look forward to welcoming you to India. It will be a true honour for India to host one of its most distinguished daughters,” the Prime Minister added.
In his letter, Modi expressed deep pride in Sunita Williams' accomplishments, emphasising how 1.4 billion Indians celebrate her perseverance and contributions to space exploration. He also shared that during meetings with US Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, he had inquired about her well-being, highlighting India's admiration for her work. The Prime Minister fondly recalled meeting her family during his 2016 visit to the US.
