Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated astronaut Sunita Williams and other crew members for their incredible success in space, after their safe return to Earth.
Defence Minister expressed his happiness on Wednesday via the X social media network and posted, "Delighted at the safe return of NASA's Crew-9 on Earth! The crew, including India's daughter Sunita Williams and other astronauts, have written new history about human endurance and persistence in space."
He also added, "Sunita Williams' remarkable odyssey, unshakeable commitment, resilience, and tenacious spirit will encourage millions of people all over the world. Her safe return is a cause of celebration for space fans and the whole world. Her bravery and success make all of us proud. Congratulations and a huge thank you to all concerned for returning them safely to Earth."
Williams and NASA's Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov came back to Earth on Tuesday night, marking the end of what had been an eight-day mission but became an unplanned nine-month ride on the International Space Station (ISS).
The crew returned aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which splashed down off the coast of Florida just before 6 p.m. NASA confirmed that the recovery operation was successfully executed, and the astronauts were safely lifted from the capsule.
Nick Hague became the first to leave the spacecraft, followed by Sunita Williams, who came out third. The three astronauts grinned and waved as they were helped out of the capsule, ending their prolonged space stay.
Wilmore and Williams had been sent to the ISS on June 6, 2024, onboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. But after a failure in their spacecraft, they were stranded in space for much longer than expected. Their return was eventually facilitated when SpaceX's Dragon capsule was sent to take them back to Earth.
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